Are there many pick pockets and robbers in Paris?

Question

i am in france, paris now for vacation. mi mom came when she was really young. she got robbed, some one juz pulled her bag and ran away. someone was trying to open mi bag's zip the other day in the airport. should this be a big concern for me?

Answer 1

I'm afraid that where you have tourists you have thieves flocking like vultures. Paris sees 50 millions tourists a year and the thieves are there. The presence of many police officers keeps it to thievery only, assault is rarer than in most cities in Europe. However if you follow a few rules you should be safe, they only try for easy mark. Those are the same rules Parisians follow.  

- Make sure that your bag is in front and zipped close. Always.

- Credit cards and passport should be in an inner pocket, closed by velcro or a zip.

- Never carry things in a pocket

- Never let yourself be distracted when you withdraw cash (I always keep my hand over the card hole when withdrawing cash, that way even if I turn around noone can steal the card)

- Careful of children. They are in small groups, sometime only two of them, without parents. Nimble fingers. And they know that the police can't keep them in prison so they go instead of their parents. Their favourite tactic is to distract you presenting you something to read while the other one tries for your bag or pocket.

- cameras should be in your bag or if carried in their own bag in front and with the bag closed.

- Do not wave handful of money especially in very touristy areas. That's a bit like blood in water and shark. Pull one banknote from your bag, not the whole wad.

And the best one : In crowded streets and areas, keep a hand on your bag all the time.

Hope I didn't frighten you, Paris is a safe city but I see too many tourists coming with pockets filled with money or their papers, walking around with wide open bags, waving money and not taking precautions they would have taken in their home city.

Answer 2

Travelling anywhere it should be a concern.  

But Paris and other cities that have a lot of tourists are really hotbeds for these thieves.  

Therefore place your money, credit cards and other valuables in a pocket that is covered and can be closed (velcro?) so that you feel the thief trying to take things.  

Never show how much cash you're carrying by keeping out only the amounts required for the daily stuff (pocket or whatever).  Skuff up your running or walking shoes (new ones say ROB ME I'M RICH) to show you have limited funds.  In other words appear to be the broke student rather than a rich tourist, it'll save you from being a target too often.  Don't talk about having large screen TV or how much you make, or how big your house is in comparison to the european houses.  All this attracts attention.

BTW have fun.

Answer 3

From my understand it used to be really bad, now I'm not sure how it is.  That same thing happend to my mom twice!  Someone came up to her and asked her to buy a newspaper and meanwhile someone else tried to take stuff out of her purse.  Just be careful...carry your money in your bag, but keep it in front of you...don't put any money or anything of value in your pockets.  Good luck.

Answer 4

er yeah...i live in paris and been mugged twice in a year.

Answer 5

Not more, not less than in London, New-york, LosAngeles, Bombay, Johannesburg, Sydney, Athens, Istanbul or any big cities in the world. It is up to you to be careful. But this must not spoil your holidays.