How to prevent purse theft – Tips & Tricks to keep you safe
Have you ever wondered how many purses are stolen each year?
You may consider yourself a very careful and attentive person but sometimes life happens, you might get distracted and let your guard down, making you game for purse snatchers who are on the lookout for easy prey.
Your handbag might be the last thing on your mind when you’re enjoying good company and a great meal, but an unattended bag is a thief’s dream.
A huge part of staying safe when you are out and about is being smart, mindful, well-informed, and taking steps to ensure that you are not an easy target.
Travel with peace of mind whilst your belongings remain safe whether that’s halfway across the globe or at your favorite street corner coffee shop.
Discover how below.
7 simple theft precautions to increase your peace of mind
- Keep an inventory of what you have in your bag so you know if anything is missing.
- Photocopy both sides of your important purse contents eg. Credit/debit cards, driver’s license, ID cards, passport, credit card assistance numbers etc.. and store it in a safe place at home.
- Store your passwords in a pass code protected smartphone app not in your purse.
- Consider linking your credit card to your phone so you won’t lose the physical card if your wallet goes missing.
- Keep a spare set of house keys in a safe place so you can always get in your home if your bag goes missing.
- Lock your passport in your room safe and carry a photocopy of it
- Don’t carry more cash or credit cards than you need
How to prevent purse theft?
- Avoid being an easy target when sitting outside in a cafe
- Be mindful of your location, try to sit as far from the road as possible.
- Don’t leave your purse or bag unattended on a chair beside you.
- Always zip your bags closed
- Always set your bag where you can see it or are aware of it.
- On the floor a thief can easily kick it away and pick it up. Keep your bag safe, clean and off the floor.
- Avoid putting your purse behind you when sitting down - it leaves it vulnerable to being swiped by anyone.
What to do when someone steals your purse?
- Don’t panic – try to think clearly.
- Call the police – Even though the police might not be able to track down your wallet, putting in a report will cover you in other ways.
A police report could be the proof you need to show you’re telling the truth about fraudulent charges. - Contact your credit cards customer service number right away to report the stolen card(s).
- Call your bank and tell them that your cards/checks have been stolen.
- Act fast – Close your debit and credit cards because you may be liable for fraudulent charges if you report it too late.
- Keep an eye on your accounts – thought thieves can’t buy with your cards once you’ve closed the account, that doesn’t mean you should be lax about double-checking your expenses.
- Monitor your bills for unusual activity, and report anything strange to the police.
At a restaurant, place your bag where it touches you or in front of you
10 Smart Tricks to Avoid Pickpockets
How to protect yourself from pick pockets
- Be aware of your actions especially in isolated or crowded places.
- If someone is following closely behind you and you feel uneasy, enter a store, restaurant, public establishment to get rid of him/her.
- You are more valuable than your purse – if your purse is snatched it is better to stay safe than to save it.
- If you are attacked aim for the eyes, crotch, nose etc..
- When punching tuck in your thumb to avoid injury
- Snatchers could be carrying a weapon, be careful
- Keep in mind if someone tries to yank a tightly wound purse strap from you it may harm you.
Conclusion
Thankfully, being smart, well-informed, careful and mindful of your surroundings may be the key to the prevention of purse theft.
Remember to keep your purse zipped, its straps short, close to your body, positioned towards the front whilst keeping a firm grip on it, when out and about..
Avoid displaying a wad of cash, thumbing through your wallet etc in public, you never know who is watching.
Pickpockets don’t just look for easy targets; they look for lucrative ones. Try to camouflage your wealth and avoid wearing too much jewelry, as it may call unnecessary attention to you.
We all have our natural instincts, if a place, someone or something makes you feel uneasy, trust your gut instincts and avoid them or it.
If you have had any personal experiences with purse thieves, please don’t hesitate to share it with us by leaving a comment below.
Disclaimers: This article is not meant to scare you, the world is a gorgeous place to discover, explore its wonders whilst living mindfully. These purse safety tips are meant to encourage you to be cautious, many of us have our eyes glued to our phones and may not even be aware of our surroundings.