Warning: be careful of your belongings on the transport and in other crowded places! A friend of mine had her wallet stolen from a closed bag on the U3/6 between Uni and Odeonsplatz today.
There was apparently a team at work. The car was very crowded, and someone at the other end yelled "thieves!", at which time my friend realized her bag was open and the wallet was missing. It would not have been possible for one person to get from one end of the car to the other in the crowded conditions.
Obviously everyone should always be careful, but especially in Munich, a lot of us have gotten used to being rather laissez-faire, and it helps to have a reminder to be more careful with so many visitors in town.
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Take extra precautions on the public transport
Thieves taking advantage of the World Cup crowds
The Munich Police have been carrying stories all week about "taschendieb"
They are slowly being caught, but take extra care while the WM is on!
They are slowly being caught, but take extra care while the WM is on!
if you're wandering about at this time of year (with the world cup going on) with anything open for picking, then you're asking for it... i'm an erdinger and i transfer everything to my front pockets before i hit ostbahnhof. if you don't, yo a dum ass!!!
Too true, grazzenger.
These guys can get a wallet out of your front pockets just as well, though, so be sure to face the wall if your wallet's in the front pocket! And my friend's bag was closed when she got on the train. Next time she'll know to carry it in front of her, too.
At least people are stepping up and yelling it out if they see theft going on.
These guys can get a wallet out of your front pockets just as well, though, so be sure to face the wall if your wallet's in the front pocket! And my friend's bag was closed when she got on the train. Next time she'll know to carry it in front of her, too.
At least people are stepping up and yelling it out if they see theft going on.
put all your valuable possessions into your underwear.
if a pickpocket is going there, then good luck to him or her.
if a pickpocket is going there, then good luck to him or her.
Reminds me of a story. My brother-in-law used to live in kind of a dodgy part of Chicago. He would carry two wallets with him: his real one and a decoy that had only $20 in cash or so and expired credit cards (for realism), just in case he got mugged or pickpocketed. (The decoy went in his back pocket.)
My most valuable posession is always in my underwear.
I wondered how long someone would jump on the setup
@Cinzia
The idea of the decoy wallet is a good one, but I wouldnt put expired credit cards in there. Many of them could still be linked to active accounts and still work.
@Cinzia
The idea of the decoy wallet is a good one, but I wouldnt put expired credit cards in there. Many of them could still be linked to active accounts and still work.
QUOTE (pootle @ Jun 15 2006, 2:24 am) 
The Munich Police have been carrying stories all week about "taschendieb"
They’ve created a special website with advice for WM visitors, and pickpockets get their own section.
If you actually see pickpockets in action, the website advises:
QUOTE
If despite all precautions something does get stolen from you, try to stay calm. Try to remember what the thief looked like and what actually took place. Ask passers-by and other people who saw what happened to act as witnesses. Make a note of their names and addresses, and inform the police without delay of the theft.
QUOTE (Zeppelin @ Jun 15 2006, 9:23 am)
The idea of the decoy wallet is a good one, but I wouldnt put expired credit cards in there. Many of them could still be linked to active accounts and still work.
Well, I didn't say they were his expired cards!
Someone should design a device, similar to this that can be carried in your pockets to cut the bastards' fingers off when they get their fingers into your pocket...
Yeah, I think someone managed to get my wallet out of my bag yesterday. Fuck fuckfuckidy fuck. Cash, cards, ID's - all gone.
Does anyone know any contact details for who I can call to find out if the wallet might have handed in somewhere? I'm expecting all the cash to be gone but maybe I can get my personal stuff back...
Does anyone know any contact details for who I can call to find out if the wallet might have handed in somewhere? I'm expecting all the cash to be gone but maybe I can get my personal stuff back...
Doing a search for FundBuro turns up 8 links to the info you need...
Thanks Darknight, will see if I can figure it out from there. Much appreciated.
I should mention btw that I think this happened either while I was shopping or walking down a street in Schwabing - not on the public transport. I paid for something, tucked my change back into my wallet out side the store and then 15 minutes later noticed the wallet was gone.
I should mention btw that I think this happened either while I was shopping or walking down a street in Schwabing - not on the public transport. I paid for something, tucked my change back into my wallet out side the store and then 15 minutes later noticed the wallet was gone.
And also be careful not to go on public transport sporting a backpack and a brazilian appearance
Oops looks like it could be dodgy this weekend then
Oops looks like it could be dodgy this weekend then
QUOTE (cinzia @ Jun 15 2006, 9:03 am)
Reminds me of a story. My brother-in-law used to live in kind of a dodgy part of Chicago. He would carry two wallets with him: his real one and a decoy that had only $20 in cash or so and expired credit cards (for realism), just in case he got mugged or pickpocketed. (The decoy went in his back pocket.)
the decoy wallet is most effective in a mugging situation to help avoid a violent confrontation. the idea being that when your friendly neighborhood mugger points a gun or knife at you while requesting your wallet, you bring out the decoy, flash it open so that he/she can see that there is cash in it, then you throw the wallet in one direction and run away in the other direction. hopefully, the mugger will be focused on the cash, and see no reason to shot / attack you.
having a decoy to protect against a pickpocket doesn't make much sense. would you buy a second car and leave it unlocked in the hope that your BMW won't be stolen?
It is if you just want to get felt up every once in a while.
I used to own a Fiat Tipo that i left unlocked with keys in and it never got stolen, wonder Y
Good advice from an email years ago...
Of course the numbers etc are for the US but you get the idea.
QUOTE
some emails weren't meant to be deleted.
---------------------------------------------------
A corporate attorney sent this out to the employees in his company.
FYI: Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine, do both sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe place. You don't ever need to carry your SS card around. Keep it at home.
We have all heard horror stories about fraud that's committed in your name, address, SS#, credit, etc. Unfortunately I (the author of this piece who happens to be an attourney) have firsthand knowledge, because my wallet was stolen last month and within a week the thieve(s) ordered an expensive monthly cell phone package, applied for a VISA credit card, had a credit line approved to buy a Gateway computer, received a PIN number from DMV to change my driving record information online, and more.
But here's some critical information to limit the damage in case this happens to you or someone you know. As everyone always advises, cancel your credit cards immediately, but the key is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to call. Keep those where you can find them easily. File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where it was stolen, this proves to credit providers you were diligent, and is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one).
But here's what is perhaps most important: (I never ever thought to do this) Call the three national credit reporting organizations immediately to PLACE A FRAUD ALERT ON YOUR NAME AND SS#. I had never heard of doing that until advised by a bank that called to tell me an application for a credit was made over the Internet in my name. The alert means any company that checks your credit knows your information was stolen and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit. By the time I was advised to do this, almost 2 weeks after the theft, all the damage had been done.
There are records of all the credit checks initiated by the thieves' purchases, none of which I knew about before placing the alert. Since then, no additional damage has been done, and the thieves threw my wallet away this weekend (someone turned it in). It seems to have stopped them in their tracks.
The numbers are:
Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742
Trans Union: 1-800-680-7289
Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271
If you call these numbers, inform them that your walet was stolen and they will talk you through the process and let you know exactly what you are doing and how long it will be in effect.
We pass along jokes; we pass along just about everything. Do think about passing this information along. It could really help someone.
---------------------------------------------------
A corporate attorney sent this out to the employees in his company.
FYI: Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine, do both sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe place. You don't ever need to carry your SS card around. Keep it at home.
We have all heard horror stories about fraud that's committed in your name, address, SS#, credit, etc. Unfortunately I (the author of this piece who happens to be an attourney) have firsthand knowledge, because my wallet was stolen last month and within a week the thieve(s) ordered an expensive monthly cell phone package, applied for a VISA credit card, had a credit line approved to buy a Gateway computer, received a PIN number from DMV to change my driving record information online, and more.
But here's some critical information to limit the damage in case this happens to you or someone you know. As everyone always advises, cancel your credit cards immediately, but the key is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to call. Keep those where you can find them easily. File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where it was stolen, this proves to credit providers you were diligent, and is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one).
But here's what is perhaps most important: (I never ever thought to do this) Call the three national credit reporting organizations immediately to PLACE A FRAUD ALERT ON YOUR NAME AND SS#. I had never heard of doing that until advised by a bank that called to tell me an application for a credit was made over the Internet in my name. The alert means any company that checks your credit knows your information was stolen and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit. By the time I was advised to do this, almost 2 weeks after the theft, all the damage had been done.
There are records of all the credit checks initiated by the thieves' purchases, none of which I knew about before placing the alert. Since then, no additional damage has been done, and the thieves threw my wallet away this weekend (someone turned it in). It seems to have stopped them in their tracks.
The numbers are:
Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742
Trans Union: 1-800-680-7289
Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271
If you call these numbers, inform them that your walet was stolen and they will talk you through the process and let you know exactly what you are doing and how long it will be in effect.
We pass along jokes; we pass along just about everything. Do think about passing this information along. It could really help someone.
Of course the numbers etc are for the US but you get the idea.
The "decoy" thing worked for me once when I had my purse stolen (note for the Amis: that's a British purse, which I think you guys call a wallet), but it was by accident rather than design. I always have two purses in my handbag, one for cash and the other for credit cards and other valuables, and I was lucky that the pickpocket got only the one with the cash, probably not realising there was another purse in my bag.
In fact, I think I know how he got at my bag, and it was quite a clever trick. I was sitting on a bus, with my bag on the seat beside me. In the seat behind me was a man reading a large-format newspaper. To be more precise, he was in the seat just behind the one next to me where I had placed my bag. At one point during the bus ride, he opened up his big unwieldy newspaper to turn the pages, spreading it out so that for a moment it covered the seat where my bag was, and I'm sure he used that moment to get his hand in my bag. I'm pretty sure it was him because I'd used my purse shortly before I got on the bus, and noticed it was missing just after I got off.
In fact, I think I know how he got at my bag, and it was quite a clever trick. I was sitting on a bus, with my bag on the seat beside me. In the seat behind me was a man reading a large-format newspaper. To be more precise, he was in the seat just behind the one next to me where I had placed my bag. At one point during the bus ride, he opened up his big unwieldy newspaper to turn the pages, spreading it out so that for a moment it covered the seat where my bag was, and I'm sure he used that moment to get his hand in my bag. I'm pretty sure it was him because I'd used my purse shortly before I got on the bus, and noticed it was missing just after I got off.
QUOTE (Chicago @ Jun 16 2006, 11:08 am)
Having a decoy to protect against a pickpocket doesn't make much sense. would you buy a second car and leave it unlocked in the hope that your BMW won't be stolen?
I think the idea is that the pickpocket goes for your back pocket, which is the easiest target anyway. When s/he finds a wallet there, that's the end of it. They don't then try your front pocket to see if you have another wallet there. Whereas if you don't have a wallet in your back pocket, they'll go for the front.
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