10 Easy Ways To Stop Pickpockets From Stealing Your Cash

Pickpockets have sneaky ways to grab cash from your bag when you're not looking or steal your purse and run off with it.

It can be hard to find yourself in a situation like that worrying about what you could do to prevent it. You may also be out on the street and weary of not making yourself a target.

But there are ways to protect your money at the hands of pickpockets. Check out some of these options to see if they can protect you the next time you're out.

Pockets can be a good alternative to carrying a purse, but it can be hard to fit everything you need in a small pants pocket.

So try out a jacket with plenty of pockets you can wear and easily have space for everything you need without bringing a bag to carry around your things.

One of the places pickpockets thrive is in tourist areas that you might visit if you're traveling somewhere.

Think about storing money, credit cards, and other valuables in something like a money belt that can be discretely tucked under your clothing while still allowing you to have easy access to items as you travel.

You may want to consider a cross-body bag rather than simply wearing your purse on your shoulder.

Cross-body bags can offer you a similar amount of room as a typical purse but allow you to wear them in front of you to protect anything inside.

If you carry your purse on your shoulder outside of your coat or jacket, it can be easy for a pickpocket to pick it through.

Instead, consider putting your purse on before your coat so you can cover it up or at least make it harder to reach into the top of the purse and grab things out from inside without you noticing.

It may be tempting to drape your purse over the back of a chair when you're dining out or put it on the ground if you sit down to rest, but it's important to try to stay in physical contact with it, such as holding it in your lap.

Your bag can easily be carried off if you don't have physical contact with it, even without you noticing the pickpocket walking away with it.

You might carry a purse that you keep protected but then leave your keys or phone in your back pocket.

Try to keep items out of your pockets that can be easy for pickpockets to lift out of them. Instead, store them in a secure purse or other spot, like a jacket with hidden pockets or a money belt.

It can be tempting to keep your cordless headphones in your ear and listen to music or podcasts while you walk from place to place.

But your headphones could be a distraction and a flag for pickpockets to know that you might not be paying attention while they pull something out of your bag or completely grab your purse.

You may be in a popular area or near public transportation, with people moving around quickly.

It can be easy to get caught up in the crowd or pay attention to your actions and miss someone else grabbing items from your bag. It's good to be a little more alert and aware of your surroundings, even in busy areas.

You might like to move things around from purse to purse or pack up your bag each morning with things you need at work or when you're out.

It's a good idea to ensure you have a place for everything you need and can close your bag rather than haphazardly throwing things in and not realizing you've made it easier for a pickpocket to take things out.

One of the most important things to do is always be aware of your surroundings to protect your purse and yourself.

Watch out for people trying to get physically close to you, and keep an extra eye on your belongings when you're in a crowd. You also may want to put a hand on your bag, specifically any openings or zippers, to protect the contents inside.

It can be tricky sometimes to take extra steps to protect your purse, but there are ways to make it harder for pickpockets to get inside and cost you money and time to replace items.

If your purse does get stolen, some of the best rewards cards have good anti-theft benefits, such as your credit card company contacting you if big purchases are charged to your card.