Rick Steves' Easy Tip Could Save Your Bag From Being Pickpocketed In Europe

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Throwing a coin over your shoulder at the Trevi Fountain, grinning at the camera in front of the Eiffel Tower, and strolling down Las Ramblas in Barcelona — these are some of the most-awaited tourist experiences a first-time traveler has on their European vacation itinerary. Unfortunately, these are also awaited events for pickpockets, who are lurking in the shadows ready to rain down on your holiday parade. In fact, on a recent appearance on

BBC Morning Live

, ex-detective Rebecca Mason singled out Barcelona, Paris, Amsterdam, Prague, and Lisbon as some of the most pickpocketed cities in Europe. 

Don't feel bad if you've fallen victim to pickpocketing, though — it happens to the best of us. Even Rick Steves, who has been to Europe more times than we can count, has fallen victim to such an unfortunate event, losing his driver's license, two credit cards, and cash to a Parisian metro pickpocket. But Steves turned this misfortune into a valuable tip worth adding to your ultimate survival guide for a European vacation: Loop your bag strap around yourself or your chair leg to ward off any pickpocketing attempts. "Thieves want to quickly separate you from your valuables, so even a minor obstacle can be an effective deterrent," Steves explains on his blog. 

So, the next time you're strolling down a European shopping street, double-loop your bag strap around your wrist or thread it into your belt loop. If you're setting your bag next to you in a restaurant, take the time to wind your bag's strap around your leg or chair leg. This extra resistance to getting your bag swiped is enough to give potential pickpockets pause, and it will buy you a few seconds to make a scene and hopefully scare the thief away before they get into your belongings.

Steves suggests employing the same technique when taking trains or public transportation. For example, one of his top luggage safety tips when riding European trains is using a rucksack or travel bag's clips to secure them to a train's luggage racks. "If you plan to sleep on a train (or anywhere in public), clip or fasten your pack or suitcase to the seat, the luggage rack, or yourself. Most zippers are lockable, and even a twist-tie, paper clip, or key ring is helpful to keep your bag zipped up tight. The point isn't to make your bag impenetrable, but harder to get into than the next guy's," Steves writes. That way, you can kick back during the journey and not have to constantly worry about your belongings getting snatched.

Of course, you could also invest in some trendy travel essentials, including snazzy luggage trackers or the myriad anti-theft phone straps TikTokers are raving about. Sometimes, even old-school devices work just as well — and without the hefty price tag. A good carabiner, for example, which you can get online for cheap, can be used to loop your purse's zippers and straps to each other, essentially locking them in place. Steves also swears by simple, everyday items such as twist-ties, paper clips, or key rings as effective locking devices to keep itchy fingers from accessing your bag's valuables.

Finally, if you can help it, Steves suggests eliminating your chances of being pickpocketed altogether by leaving expensive items back in your hotel room's safe. As the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in France warn, "Pickpockets target many of us because we stand out and look like we have money ... If you know you are going to a particularly touristy spot, leave as much at home as you can."