Skooblevart’s Pickpocket Repellent

When I make bean soup, the most important ingredient is beans.  Otherwise it’s broth.

For our pickpocket repellent, we’re mixing up a recipe to protect you and yours.  We still need to start with the basics.  The single most important "ingredient?"  It's recognition that every person traveling to even a moderately popular travel destination is in fact a target for pickpockets.  Because they're a target, they must prepare their pickpocket repellent.  And apply it.  And keep applying until they return home.

Why do we emphasize this?  Because people often believe it’s the “other guy” who is at risk.  "I'm too big," or too careful, too this, too that (they think), so the pickpockets will avoid them.  Their logical conclusion is that they don’t need to follow the recipe.

The more accurate conclusion is that they will be complacent, that complacency is apparent to the pickpocket, and serves to increase the size of the bull's eye, not reduce it.  Pickpockets recognize tourists immediately, they watch to see who has valuables, and they wait for a few seconds of complacency or distraction (which they may create themselves or with their team), and they’re off.  Men, women, kids, it doesn’t matter.  There's a big "Pick Me" on every tourist's pockets and purses.

So, first ingredient first.  Recognition that every single person (this means you!) is a target of pickpockets when traveling.  Once each person recognizes the need, they will be more likely to follow our recipe to mix up their own repellent, slather it on thick, and thereby shrink the bull's eye on their bag.

Check out the next yummy ingredient, next week at about this time.

Until then, Happy Trails