Carry cash and credit cards in separate wallets and pockets. If possible, divide your cash between your wallet and pocket.
Keep your wallet in an inside jacket pocket or the front pocket of your trousers.
Keeping your hands in your pockets keeps a thief s hands out.
Don't keep a purse or handbag in your hand: it can easily be knocked away or snatched. Get a bag with a shoulder strap and wear it with the outside flap or pocket towards your body. An open-top handbag invites trouble.
Carry your house keys in your pocket, not in your handbag.
Make a list of the identification numbers of your credit cards, driver's licence, cheque cards and so on, as well as the numbers to call in case of theft.
Keep one copy at home and another in a locked drawer at work.
Never flash money or jewellery in public - when buying a newspaper or at a bus stop, for example.
When shopping, be especially alert at the entrances to shops, on escalators and in lifts, in bargain or demonstration areas, or in any place where large crowds gather. Also be on the lookout at the checkout counter, where you might lay down your purse and parcels.
Before using a cash machine, take a good look around. If you see someone suspicious, go elsewhere. While using one, stand close so that no one knows the extent of your transaction or can read your PIN number. And when you leave, walk a short way in the wrong direction, then reverse yourself to see if you're being followed. If you are, run to the nearest spot with people and telephone the police.
Common scams Pickpockets often work with accomplices who create distractions while the thief robs the 'mark'. Here are some common ruses.
'Watch out for pickpockets?' Be wary when you hear someone shout this; your natural response, to reach for your money, alerts the pickpocket to its location.
The accident. Perhaps someone's foot slips getting off the bus in front of you, or perhaps she drops packages in a crowded lobby; in either case, the momentary confusion is all the pick-pocket needs.
The fight. An argument breaks out and people jostle each other getting out of the way; when it's all over, you're the loser.
'Oh, I'm sorry?' Someone rushing through an airport or train station bumps into you or spills food on you, then stops to help you up or brush you off; then he rushes off again - with your wallet.
