pick pockets at Carnival

mountainannie

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Dec 11, 2003
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Just got a note from a friend who is visiting and went to Carnival in LaVega and had all his money and his passport taken by a pickpocket... ok, he is pretty seasoned traveler and feels very stupid. Having to spend his time going to the US consulate for a new passport and have his family wire him money.

I know that the standard advice is to leave your money and passport and credit cards in the lock box at the hotel.. BUT many hotels do not have working lock boxes...

And what if you are moving from one place to another..what then?

I am sure that there are some best practices...

What are they?
 

mike l

Silver
Sep 4, 2007
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Just got a note from a friend who is visiting and went to Carnival in LaVega and had all his money and his passport taken by a pickpocket... ok, he is pretty seasoned traveler and feels very stupid. Having to spend his time going to the US consulate for a new passport and have his family wire him money.

I know that the standard advice is to leave your money and passport and credit cards in the lock box at the hotel.. BUT many hotels do not have working lock boxes...

And what if you are moving from one place to another..what then?

I am sure that there are some best practices...

What are they?

There are money belts and Fanny paks that you can turn around and wear in the front.

Your front pockets are best used for anything of value.

I always carry my wallet in my shirt pocket and have never lost it .
 

Bryanell

Bronze
Aug 9, 2005
694
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Just got a note from a friend who is visiting and went to Carnival in LaVega and had all his money and his passport taken by a pickpocket... ok, he is pretty seasoned traveler and feels very stupid. Having to spend his time going to the US consulate for a new passport and have his family wire him money.

I know that the standard advice is to leave your money and passport and credit cards in the lock box at the hotel.. BUT many hotels do not have working lock boxes...

And what if you are moving from one place to another..what then?

I am sure that there are some best practices...

What are they?

Best practice - Golden Rule ...never carry more than you can afford to lose

If you have to carry "everything" with you, distribute it in a number different pockets, preferably front ones, split up your cash into different pockets, keep important items like passport, credit cards, id documents, big money etc., invisible under your clothing in a body belt.

Belt bags, pouches, "fanny packs" are OK for some items, but they are visible and generally denote "tourist" as "locals" don't use them; don't keep everything in them - I've seen them go when the perp slices through the belt from the back with a sharp blade.
Bryan
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
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i went to la vega carnival once and i only carried mobile phone plus some cash stuffed in the front pockets of very tight jeans. this has proven to be a great mistake as i did not have my medicine pouch with me and i got a mother of all headaches (the effect of noise and heat). that has ruined my day and the day of those with me. :(
normally i carry a bag with lots of stuff in it and i have never been robbed (one failed attempt).
the only exeptions are trips to sosua :) i only take money, mobile and cedula.
 

Adrian Bye

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Jul 7, 2002
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i had my wallet pick pocketed at carnival in la vega about 5 years ago. fortunately i got it back a few days later from a policeman minus the money.

the answer to the question above is: you never take anything valuable to carnival. i was at la vega carnival yesterday and saw all the usual problems. i just carried cash in my pockets and nothing more.

i've never had any problems elsewhere in the DR, carnival is the only place.
 

mountainannie

Platinum
Dec 11, 2003
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113
elizabetheames.blogspot.com
Best practice - Golden Rule ...never carry more than you can afford to lose

If you have to carry "everything" with you, distribute it in a number different pockets, preferably front ones, split up your cash into different pockets, keep important items like passport, credit cards, id documents, big money etc., invisible under your clothing in a body belt.

Belt bags, pouches, "fanny packs" are OK for some items, but they are visible and generally denote "tourist" as "locals" don't use them; don't keep everything in them - I've seen them go when the perp slices through the belt from the back with a sharp blade.
Bryan


WOW .. good call... in the States we often advised tourists.. ok this is a NYer talking.. to keep the credit cards and twenty bucks in your shoe!

The blade splitting reminds me of stuff I read about in Peru when I was thinking of going to Machu Pichhu.. you had to get a chain mail protector for your backpack!!!(this was twenty years ago when the Shining Path was rampant.. things are much better now)

Good advice..

thanks
 

AlterEgo

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Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
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There are actually a couple of companies who make purses/backpacks/fanny packs, etc., for travelers. They have metal wires inside the straps so they can't be cut. My cousin bought one before going to Italy - I can't remember the brand she chose, but I know that Travelon has a whole line of "carry safe" items: anti-theft1

AE
 
May 29, 2006
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I think the next time I come I'll be bringing a portable lock box with a security cable.

travel_safe_open.jpg


$20 from this site:
Portable Security Safe

I bet someone could make a nice little business renting/selling these.

I'm big on fanny packs and I wear them up front. They should have inner zippers for more important documents. I sometimes use a large safety pin or small carabiner to secure the zippers together.

Always bring a copy of your passport or scan it and send a file to yourself on email. It is suppose to be a lot faster to get your passport if you have an image of your old one. Some passport usuable photos in your email may also help.

Keep your money/wallet in your front pockets and pocket cash in your back pocket. If you flash 3000 pesos making an 80 peso buy, you will be more likely targeted than someone pulling a crumpled 100 note out of their back pocket. I've seen tourists flash as much as 10,000 pesos at a beach bar for a Cuba libre.

Be careful of overly friendly people or locals needing help. Most pickpockets work in teams with one person to distract and the other one to pick pockets. A common ploy is for someone to drop something and when you bend over to help pick it up, you get picked.

I had a pair of cargo pants with zipper side pockets. Great for avoiding pick pocketing. Velcro is also good. Always check your wallet when you put it in your pocket.
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
17,850
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The blade splitting reminds me of stuff I read about in Peru when I was thinking of going to Machu Pichhu.. you had to get a chain mail protector for your backpack!!!(this was twenty years ago when the Shining Path was rampant.. things are much better now)
I remember travellers in Peru lining their backpacks with chickenwire, but the people who used to slit backpacks were common and garden thieves. If it had been SL it would have been more than backpacks that were being slit!

ETA "Fanny" pack! :D
 

mountainannie

Platinum
Dec 11, 2003
16,350
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113
elizabetheames.blogspot.com
I think the next time I come I'll be bringing a portable lock box with a security cable.

travel_safe_open.jpg


$20 from this site:
Portable Security Safe

I bet someone could make a nice little business renting/selling these.

I'm big on fanny packs and I wear them up front. They should have inner zippers for more important documents. I sometimes use a large safety pin or small carabiner to secure the zippers together.

Always bring a copy of your passport or scan it and send a file to yourself on email. It is suppose to be a lot faster to get your passport if you have an image of your old one. Some passport usuable photos in your email may also help.

Keep your money/wallet in your front pockets and pocket cash in your back pocket. If you flash 3000 pesos making an 80 peso buy, you will be more likely targeted than someone pulling a crumpled 100 note out of their back pocket. I've seen tourists flash as much as 10,000 pesos at a beach bar for a Cuba libre.

Be careful of overly friendly people or locals needing help. Most pickpockets work in teams with one person to distract and the other one to pick pockets. A common ploy is for someone to drop something and when you bend over to help pick it up, you get picked.

I had a pair of cargo pants with zipper side pockets. Great for avoiding pick pocketing. Velcro is also good. Always check your wallet when you put it in your pocket.


Great post,

Peter....I remember seeing a tourist here in SD.. right in a pharmacy in independencia.. where there is a banco popular office.. making all sorts of noise about how to get 10,000 pesos from his credit card which he kept pulling out of his shorts pocket!! I helped him negotiate the transaction and warned him that he was setting himself up for a robbery since the police only make 5000 pesos a month!!
 

mountainannie

Platinum
Dec 11, 2003
16,350
1,358
113
elizabetheames.blogspot.com
There are actually a couple of companies who make purses/backpacks/fanny packs, etc., for travelers. They have metal wires inside the straps so they can't be cut. My cousin bought one before going to Italy - I can't remember the brand she chose, but I know that Travelon has a whole line of "carry safe" items: anti-theft1

AE

well all i can say is that if and when i go to Carnival

i am bringing my DOG!!!