Travel Guides Culinary Vacations
Lexi Kassler
If you’re anything like us, once the waiter delivers your food, you’re laser-focused on enjoying every scrumptious bite, and you’re hardly contemplating the whereabouts of your purse. However, this makes for one of the best opportunities for pickpockets and thieves to swoop in and grab your belongings while your face is stuffed with carbonara.
As any experienced traveler will tell you, theft is one of the primary concerns you will have while traveling since it is so common and so easy for criminals to do when you’re distracted. That being said, there are plenty of ways you can prevent getting pickpocketed, especially when you’re out enjoying a meal on vacation.
Our first tip? While it’s nice to sit outside and people watch from the patio area, stick to the middle. The tables that either line the street or the sidewalk between the patio and the restaurant provide an easy opportunity for thieves to reach over and grab your purse before you even have a chance to react.
Other ways to keep thieves at bay
Alejandro J. Vivas/Shutterstock
If you want to sit outside, but there are no tables in the center of the patio area, or there are only a few tables that are flanked by both the street and the sidewalk, don’t abandon hope. There are a couple ways to keep your belongings safe from thieves and pickpockets.
First, never leave your purse or backpack hanging off the back of a chair. This is easy pickings for slick criminals. Your purse could fall on the ground and get picked up before you even notice or get nonchalantly swiped by a passerby. Either keep the purse on your lap or place it on an open chair at your table where you can see it. If it’s a cross-body bag and the chair has an opening in it, consider looping your purse through the straps around the chair to make it harder for thieves to steal it but still easy for you to access if you need it.
Next, never place your bag at your feet, as your purse could still get stolen this way, even if you think you’re being vigilant. Thieves can reach behind your seat when you’re not paying attention and slip away with your valuables. The best solution to keeping your bag safe would be to use a travel-sized purse hook that can slip onto any table or bar to keep your bag in sight and by your side at all times.
