Pickpockets and China

There is a common fear by westerners of pickpockets. Rightfully so, tourists tend to be wealthier than the locals (especially the criminals) , carry a lot of cash for shopping, and make easy targets. However, there are ways to counter it.

I lived in China for a couple of years and never had my wallet or cell phone stolen. Fortunately for me I am 6'2 and a direct confrontation would be unlikely with generally undernourished street criminals. The first way to deter them is to be aware of your things. In China, guns are outlawed (communist governments tend to maintain a monopoly on violence) and that has cut down on violent crime considerably. Therefore, crime tends to be sneaky. I maintained everything on the front of my body. I tried to wear a jacket or a vest so that my wallet/cellphone is on the front of my body where a potential pickpocket would have to be face to face with me.

Never, ever put your wallet on your back pocket so that they can give skillfully lifted. In a crowded country, a pickpocket will most likely bump into as you have bumped into hundreds of times on the subway. Needless to say, you probably will not be their first victim and they have done this before.

Even though I have not been victimized, I have known those who have been. The common theme is that they have gotten lazy or complacent about pickpockets because the crime is not so visible. They have allowed cell-phones or wallets to dangle from jacket side pockets or put cellphones in back jeans pockets. When you go into slums in most other countries, it is dangerous and you are therefore on guard. In China, you never feel in danger. In China, you may be a bit taller than the general population, aware of the penalties for firearm possession, and a stereotype (whether you admit or not) that Chinese are not as threatening. While your instincts are probably correct, China isnt dangerous, but you should still be on guard.

Pickpockets come in all forms, well-dressed and demure can be the best pockets(Actually the better dressed they are, the more likely they are good at stealing). Do not underestimate or prejudge who they are. Pickpockets are generally quite intelligent and are interested in low-risk situations where they can make money with little trouble from the law.

The most common place to look out for is when you are at the market. When you are holding other bags of things in addition to your camera, cellphone, and , you may be more exposed to even a more brazen theft because you are weighed down by your purchases as well as lacking two hands to guard your belongings. You may be a normally careful, but when you are taking money in and out of your wallet making purchases, you will become lazy about putting your wallet in a safe place. The best way to do this is, before you shop, remove your cash from your wallet and store your wallet in a safe place on your person. The worst that happens is you lose some cash but maintain your IDS, credit cards, etc.

All in all, be careful and have a great trip. I want you to have a great time in China, and keeping your money and belongings is certainly part of it. If you are not interested in wearing a jacket, purchase a "fanny pack," think of it as a function first fashion accessory.