They say money doesn’t grow on trees, and that’s true. You work hard for your money, and having a slimy pickpocket steal your valuables is an express path to a very bad day for you. That’s why awareness is crucial. These criminals know all the tricks: how to identify a potential target, how to get close to the prize, and finally, how to lift the goods from your person without you even blinking an eye.

They are professionals, no doubt, but you don’t have to be an easy and oblivious participant of their shady skills. You can thwart their attempts, so much so they will become irritated from their failure and move on to an easier target. How do you accomplish this achievement? Read on to learn the bane of these sneaky bad guys.

Awareness is Your First Defense

Right out of the gate, this is where many people fail. Awareness in today’s day and age of smartphones, ear pods, and working on-the-go electronics has exponentially decreased people’s awareness skills. Failing to put down the phone or stop the music constantly entering their ears and stifling outside noises makes it very easy for a pickpocket to locate a viable target without much effort.

They look for people distracted in their world or occupied with an online fight or intense video call. These distracted people don’t recognize a potential threat and, as such, fall under their criminal skillset. It’s a simple fix to change the outcome and go offline. In high-risk areas, put away your phone, turn off the blaring music, and be aware of who is around you. This common sense tip is your first line of defense, and if done right, it could be the only one you need to hold onto your valuables.

Keep Your Valuables Out of Sight

When are men going to stop keeping their wallets in their back pockets or women leaving their purses open and accessible to strangers? While this may not be for you, it is for many people. The back pocket is a literal gold mine to a pickpocket, as is an open purse sitting in a supermarket cart with the owner nowhere near it.

This happens daily and is only two examples of not securing your valuables. Cellphones today cost over two thousand dollars, yet they are often left on tables, displayed while shopping, or kept insecurely stuck out of jacket pockets or outside pouches of a purse or gym bag. Don’t make it easy for the bad guys.

Instead, make a conscious effort to always know where your cash, wallets, and small electronics are. Put them in zippered or double buckled pockets, and always keep your purse on you no matter where you are (with the shoulder strap over your shoulder). For men, the front pocket is where your wallet needs to be.

Avoid Non-Secure Carriers

Now, many people may argue that they carry their valuables in a zippered carrier that they bring with them wherever they go, and because of this, their items are safe. However, that is wrong on many levels. First, a backpack with a zipper is child’s play to an experienced pickpocket. A simple “bump” into the intended victim, their pack’s zipper is opened, and their valuables are removed.

The fact that the victim is facing away from the potential crime only adds to the ease of the theft. Large purses in style today offer a cavernous and unimpeded opening for a thief’s sticky fingers (and sometimes, whole arm). The remedy to both these scenarios is to buy a backpack with the zippers and openings facing the back of the wearer. This way, there is no visible or accessible means for the pickpocket to swipe your goods.

Purses should always be zipped closed and carried in the front of your body, preferably tucked partially under your arm for added security. If you don’t have the means to buy new packs or bags, when encountering a large group of people, take the pack or bag off and “hug” it until you get through the crowd.

Be Ready For The Squeeze

That brings us to…location matters. Naturally, when traveling areas with no one around you, you can almost guarantee you won’t be a pickpocket victim. However, you must be aware of and ready to adjust in high foot traffic areas based on the changing conditions.

Sidewalks can bottleneck when you least expect it due to construction or other obstacles, such as crowded stairways or overloaded elevators. This is where a pickpocket excels at their nefarious craft. They count on large groups of people bumping or skimming each other because of confined space. So they take advantage of this, add a few bumps of their own, and secure a prize or two along the way.

A combination of awareness and avoidance can decrease your chances of becoming a victim. Avoid the crowds, let others go first until the path is cleared, and in a large mass of people, stay on the outside perimeter of the mass so you can view who comes near you at all times.

Buy Anti-theft Items

To add another layer of security for your valuables and take away some of the worries when traveling through groups or when in confined spaces, you can buy pickpocket-proof items. These specific items resist even the most seasoned pros out there.

These include money belts that are worn under clothing, belts that hold your valuables securely, and backpacks designed with security features that make them difficult for thieves to access. Always remember that maintaining your awareness and employing these strategies can significantly reduce the chance of falling victim to the slick maneuvers of a pickpocket.