Fake Police, Pickpocketing, and other Scams

A gypsy woman throws a baby which a tourist instinctively catches or tries to rescue, and in so doing, the tourist exposes his or her pockets to pickpockets.

An elderly woman asks you to hold onto her bags.  Suddenly, fake cops appear out of nowhere to arrest you or to solicit a fine for holding onto contraband in her bag.

A fake tourist insists on striking up conversation with you, asking for directions or other small talk to elicit where you are from in order to confirm your foreign status.  Often, the fake tourist speaks halting English (or fakes doing so).  This is all to delay you while his associate(s), fake police officers, come to demand to search the fake tourist and you on pretext of some crime prevention initiative.  After they pawn through your ID and wallet, if you are lucky they do not take all of it, they will pilfer a few of the large bills unbeknownst to you before returning the rest to you.  These fake police may have counterfeit IDs or may be in plainclothes.  If you call or threaten to call the real police, I wonder how they would react.

Watch Bob Arno, master pickpocket performer, video in You Tube where he supposedly confronts some Italian pickpockets.  They work in teams and either distract you by wiping something off you after they purposely spilled it on you, asking for directions, or bumping you in a crowded train or bus.

I have encountered a couple of these schemes in my multiple trips to Europe thus far.  I suggest tourists keep abreadst of these schemes and do not hesitate to call the police (if you have a phone), yell for help, etc. if you feel endangered.  Travel in groups, do not carry a lot of cash, avoid empty or dark streeets.

One pickpocket in France was brazen enough to put his hand in the pocket in which already had my hand, so of course I felt it!  I did not have anything of value in either pocket, but I yelled and he (a teenage Middle Eastern kid) retreated.  Sometimes upon reflection I would've liked to exhibit my martial arts skills on him; however, do keep in mind the laws of the various countries and that excessive force on your part, when there is no threat to merit such self defense, may land you in trouble depending on the local laws.