Let’s think about our purses and wallets

[Janet]

 

[Nova]

Hmmmm didn't see that one coming.

I don't think any of us did.  Trust Del 

[Delderek]

Always pleased to oblige

[Malteser Monkey]

My ploy is to look like a tramp. People are more likely to give me money than snatch it from me. And yes, it has worked for me so far. 

[Janet]

A friend named Ben had his wallet stolen from the front pocket of his shorts in Las Americas last week. 

I'm verging on paranoia.

Funny having a look back over this thread and realising it was four years ago ... and little has changed, and what has changed has done so for the worse.

I too am verging on paranoia now, and rarely actually carry a bag any more. I find I'm often on edge now and also find that more and more people seem to be invading my body space. The other day in the ITV someone was right behind us, actually touching, even though we were at the counter and there was a line a bit back for the next person to wait behind. I am on constant alert for someone using that sort of body swerve to try to steal a wallet or cards.

There is a couple, it seems, who are working the Fañabe area, looking just like tourists, she has a tote bag with a shawl hanging out of it, and he grabs the person as though falling and while they're distracted the woman picks their pocket and into the bag under the shawl it goes ...

Horrid.

[Malteser Monkey]

Twice I got caught out back then

A British PR fella near Starcos put his arms round me and a mate as I was taking a packet of cigs from my bag, don't know how he did it but he got 10,000 pts note !!  Bastard !!

Then another time just mins away from home (Tajinastes) bloke appeared from nowhere and snatched my bag. We chased after him found my bag and bit n bobs but money had gone thankfully it was the end of the night so not much left !

[Nova]

I had my bag snatched once a few years ago.  A guy appeared from nowhere and quickly cornered me on the coastal path near C.C. Salytien.  He looked so aggressive I thought he was going to attack me physically, so I instinctively raised my arms defensively to protect my body, which gave him the chance to rip my bag from my arm.  I gave chase but I didn't stand a chance, he was gone.  He got about €40 in cash, my phone and my keys.  Replacing my keys was a pain in the ass, as was getting into my apartment that day, but I'm still upset about the keyrings.  I had some keyrings on that chain of great sentimental value and they probably just ended up in a bin somewhere after the scumbag had taken the cash.

Nowadays I wouldn't walk anywhere remotely lonely without my pepper spray in my hand and he'd have got it full in the face.

I made a full police report and spent hours going through their books of mugshots but they didn't catch him.  It shouldn't have been too hard to identify him since he was over 6ft tall and had one red eye 

[Perikles]

It shouldn't have been too hard to identify him since he was over 6ft tall and had one red eye 

That's strange - you would think they could identify him easily

[attachimg=1]

[Anne 2009]

I'm the same as you @Janet , iv'e got quite paranoid these last couple of years. And i don't like people invading my space. I still take a bag out with me and wear it across my body. I don't put a lot of money in it, probably 40- 50 euros. If i need to take more money out with me i wear a body belt. They are virtually invisible.

[Marion]

I feel pretty safe where we are, but in other areas I've planked my money outwith my bag, but had "mugger's money" in my bag