It's sad but in some places you do have to be on your guard.
We'd read up before we went to Barcelona about the tricks they try but we shocked at the number of people we saw no taking care with their bags and falling for those card tricks in Las Ramblas. We were only up there a couple of hours and that was enough - I found it crowded and not ver pleasant, not my cup of tea at all.

Just returned today from a long weekend in Paris. Little toerags around the Latin Quarter. They have brochures stolen from outside Estate Agents. The kids try to lay the brochure on your table, but always on the side where valuables have been left on view, even if it means reaching across your meal. Thats what attracted my attention at first, as normally they try to shove things at you straight away. Because they don't expect you to want the brochure, as you push them away their other fingers are trying to lift the valuables underneath the brochure. Stopped the thieves at the next table as the kid lifted a wallet that the bloke had stupidly left on view. What I couldn't believe was the kid was back twenty minutes later trying it at another table. Staff just weren't bothered.

So please wherever you are on holidays, hide the valuables. You've earned the money to pay for your holiday, don't let some thieving scumbag spoil it.

I got money stolen in Tunisia a couple of years ago. I had met an acquaintance and we had gone for a coffee. He went inside to get my drink and as we were in a deserted courtyard I put my purse on the table, being Ramadan he wasn't having a drink. Whilst he was inside talking a couple of young fellow came out carrying bags of food, one went and sat on the wall and the other spoke to me so I laughed and said they shouldn't be eating at that time of day. He then went and joined his friend. A few minutes later the other one came over and we had the same conversation and then they left. A couple of minutes later my friend came out and asked what we had been talking about as he thought I may have had a problem. I said they had been fine so he said 'look in your purse' - yes, not a dinar left. Luckilly he was a security guard so he rustled up a couple of friends and went after them, coming back soon after with my money. Apparently whilst the second one had been talking to me his friend had gone to the other side of me and emptied my purse - I was told that if they had taken my purse I might have noticed it sooner which is why they only took the money. If we had been at a table on the roadside I would never have left my purse on the table but it seemed so safe where I was sitting.

In a foreign place, keep 2 wallets on you.

1 of them with your normal money and normal items you normally would carry.

another one with old useless money (or fake money i guess ha) only joking - not advisable, a laminated mini copy of your passport and old expired cards and random useless cards just to fill it up so they dont realise, and they won't check it until they get home, when they realised they're a loser with nothing worth money, and your laughing at that loser who fell for it.. though some muggers may check it and if you feel threatened just give him/her the proper wallet and get away.

The second wallet/purse is a useful trick, you can always leave the lowest denomination note and a few coins in it. I was always told to throw it one way and run the other. As a SLW I would rather they got a few quid than lay hands on me.

A few years back I was standing waiting for hub outside Oxford Circus tube after work. There were the 'usual' group of people...selling 'fake' perfume! I stood watching....as they called out their 'wares' a girl went up and made a big deal out of choosing and buying some perfume. A crowd soon developed. She paid...walked off...just a few yards! Stood by the pavement barrier...handed over the carrier bag with perfume in to another guy...he walked up behind the sellers..put it back. Ten minutes later...it started all over again! Same girl...went and bought more perfume..just to get the passing trade interested!

When you think of all the foreign tourists that get fleeced in places like London, its only natural that it is going to happen to us while abroad.

my son was in rome on the train

he had his valuables well concealed in inside pockets with zips

he felt someone in his back pocket and grabbed the hand
when he turned and looked it was a gipsy with a baby
he was very angry
but some locals on the train gestured to leave her alone
at first he did not know what they were trying to tell him
but then he realized it would be dangerous to pursue it

he says he would not go back
he has travelled a lot and that surprised me