Subject: Wallet theft in Brussels train station

From: Robert Moskowitz <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 22 Jul 2010 06:53:52 +0200

One moment of inattentiveness while putting my roller bag up in the over 
seating racks on the train from Brussels to Aachen (where I am for a 
pre-IETF meeting).  And they were middle-age men.

AFTER the fact I learned from a rail person that the Paris and Brussels 
train stations have the worst reg for theft.  I stopped all my cards, my 
new corp card is SUPPOSE to be waiting for me in the hotel come Sunday, 
and friends are helping me out here.  They tried to take $600 from my 
MC, but I had not enabled that card for EU use, and MC blocked the 
transaction.  Amex and Discover cards are not so usable here in EU, whew.

So sad bit of warning to all and sundry who are planning on taking 
trains to Maastricht.

---

From: Huub van Helvoort <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 22 Jul 2010 07:49:55 +0200

FYI:

The police in Schiphol airport and Amsterdam also warns
for pickpockets and not to leave your luggage unattended.

(it is holiday season here, so full time employment for
these characters).

Regards, Huub.

-- 
================================================================
Always remember that you are unique...just like everyone else...

---

From: Michael Dillon <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 22 Jul 2010 20:33:57 +0100

> pre-IETF meeting).  And they were middle-age men.

This is likely a common style of picking pockets. I ran across it in Simferopol,
Ukraine upon entering a bus to the coast, at the train station. In this case it
was rather obvious because the pair were loitering by the bus and when my
wife and I decided to enter, one of them went in the rear door and went forward
while the other followed me. I just cursed at them in Russian and they
eventually
gave up.

Thinking it over, even if you are very attentive at watching your surroundings,
when boarding transport your attention tends to be fully focused ahead of
you and you also expect people to be right behind. Since then, if
there is someone
behind me on an airplane or train, I put my luggage on the seat, then turn
180 degrees and leave the aisle until it is clear again. Then I go for the
overhead bins.

You may find this to be a useful protocol as well.

--Michael Dillon

---

From: Ross Callon <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 23 Jul 2010 06:50:50 -0400

Thanks for the warning. I just arrived in Maastricht (via train from Brussels), and I did notice quite a few people, mostly middle aged men, standing around looking idle in places where you would not expect people waiting for trains to stand. 

Your warning might very well have saved me or others from having the same experience.

Thanks, Ross

-----Original Message-----
From: [email-masked] [mailto:[email-masked]] On Behalf Of Robert Moskowitz
Sent: Thursday, July 22, 2010 12:54 AM
To: IETF discussion list
Subject: Wallet theft in Brussels train station

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---

From: Dave CROCKER <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 24 Jul 2010 09:31:19 +0200

On 7/22/2010 9:33 PM, Michael Dillon wrote:
>> One moment of inattentiveness while
...
> This is likely a common style of picking pockets.

Seems to be the key to their success.

After my wallet was taken by a double-teamed effort at a Paris metro escalator, 
some years ago, I put effort into researching the topic.

Not surprisingly, situational awareness is the most important factor -- staying 
aware of what is going on around you and taking simple actions to stay in 
control.  (I was frankly charmed by the simplicity of idea, on this thread, of 
stepping into your seating row with your goods, to let/force other folks by, in 
order to break up their control of the space around you.)

Alcohol, juggling bags, being overwhelmed by the wonderful sights.  All of these 
distract one from situational awareness.  Keeping firm control of your items and 
limiting access to them by someone passing by are examples of actions that make 
you an unattractive target.

Many of the websites on pickpocketing advise putting your wallet in a front 
pocket.  Since that's where mine was when it was taken, I'd class it has 
reasonable, but not definitive, help.  It took the guys a bit longer, but my 
level of distraction (good wine at dinner, too much sense of comfort from a 
pleasant day of sightseeing) made the choice of pocket irrelevant; they had 
plenty of time...

Some places are particularly intractable.  Last month in Barcelona, a local 
complained that her bag had been stolen 3 times!  (I'm guessing they were 
different bags...)

d/
-- 

   Dave Crocker
   Brandenburg InternetWorking
   bbiw.net