Pickpocket Repellent Ingredient #4 - The Jitterbug

We’ll again use the example from our prior pickpocket repellent poststhat could easily have been avoided had “Dad” liberally applied our pickpocket repellent.

To recap: In the train station, Dad’s first mistake was to conspicuously give money to the kids, then put the rest in his front pants pocket, against the body, pocket fully zipped, (so apparently safe) but the pickpocket knew exactly where to go.

Dad is now on high alert. How then, did the scalawag manage to sneak up from behind, unzip Dad’s front pants pocket, make a ‘withdrawal,’ and then melt into the surroundings without being detected?

Dad was “watching” the luggage.  But by focusing on the luggage, he inadvertently left his ‘six’ unwatched.

Scalawag was accompanied by Scoundrel and Lowlife. They approached Dad from behind, behaving as if they were with him so that no passersby notice anything amiss. Lowlife and Scoundrel pretended to study a map or tour guide, while their bodies shielded Scalawag from view. Scalawag carefully unzipped the pocket and separated Dad from his cash. 

Dad should have done a bit of the ol' jitterbug dance. If you’re guarding something in an open space, you can keep your attention on that something and also protect your ‘six’ by simply moving around. Shift positions and angles, so there’s no way for pickpockets to predict where to set up the screen or the heist. By being unpredictable and mobile, you’re automatically making the pickpocket work hard and take more time. Chances are that they'll move to easier pickin's.

Too Bad Dad! Next time practice your dance steps while waiting.