Paris is the city of light, fashion, artistic expression and love. Paris was also rated in a TripAdvisor.com survey as one of the top ten pick pocketing cities in the world. Tourists are targeted on these beautiful city streets by organized gangs who will follow them for hours waiting for the perfect opportunity to steal. Vehicles with foreign or non-local license plates have also become a target. To keep things in perspective, the Paris Police report that between 20,000 and 30,000 people each year report that they have had they had fallen victim to a pickpocket, with nearly half of these numbers occurring on Paris trains and the Metro.
The number of those who were too depressed to file a report is unknown but you can imagine that many tourist don't make reports at all, they just simply chalk it up to part of the trip, notify their credit card companies and continue on with their trip. If you think about it, hanging out at a Paris police station making a pickpocket report is not something that the average tourist wants to take extra time doing. Another point you should keep in the back of your traveler's mind is that the police report that more than 40 percent of the pickpockets arrested in Paris are minors.
Public Transportation
Just know that pickpockets love to target tourists while they are passing thru or riding the Metro. It has been said that roughly 100 people on Paris Metro trains are victims of theft daily. Know that all Metro lines present high levels of pick pocket activity, especially during summer months. The following locations are known to be particular Metro trains and stations that have higher than average numbers of victims falling victim to pickpockets:
REF Rail Link - The US State Department reports that the rail link (RER) from Charles de Gaulle airport to downtown Paris
Metro Line 1 - especially between Chatelet and Charles de Gaulle-Etoile, is a prime field of activity for groups of young pickpockets.
Metro Line 2 -
Metro Line 4 -Especially the part that goes to Montmartre from Chatelet.
Paris Train and Metro Stations with High Pickpocket Activity
The following train and metro stations are reported to be locations with considerable pickpocket activity:
Chatelet
Les Halles
Barbes Rochechouart
Gare du Nord
Auber-Opera-Harve Caumartin
Charles de Gaulle-Etoile
Concorde
Strasbourg-Saint Denis
Republique
Montparnasse
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Bastille
Care de l’Est
Nation
Gare de Lyon
Pickpocket Scams on Paris RER and Metro Lines
While waiting for the RER to depart, several young people enter the train carrying clipboards. One of the members approaches you and asks you to sign his petition. With the clip board in one hand a pen in the other, also covering your lap, the young man takes your bag from your lap and runs. He was able to take your belongings because your hands and eyes were distracted by the petition.
A small group of 2-4 well-trained pickpockets search for tourists exiting a train. Once a tourist is spotted, the gang members scatter among the crowd of departing passengers and follow the target to an escalator that exits to the street. One or two thieves stand directly behind the target, and third a few steps further behind. Thief number 3 slowly walks up the escalator passing other passengers and his accomplices. Once he is
standing directly in front of the target and is near the landing, he awkwardly drops coins from his pocket. As he collects his coins on the landing, the target and fellow passengers are unable to disembark because the thief is blocking the exit. Due to this, the passengers are thrown into each other. This commotion creates an opportunity for the two thieves that were positioned directly behind the target to remove wallets and other valuables from the target’s back pocket, without notice.
Another big Metro pickpocket scam is occurs when you are riding the Metro and when you see a group of pre-teens or teens standing close to you and pick a fight with each other. They push each other around, bump into tourists and while you’re distracted, will try to grab your bag. Vigilance is key! If someone acts weird or suspicious, get off the car at the next stop and either move to another car or wait for the next train.
Solution: First be observant of the people who are near you at all times, especially in train stations. Second, there are clever travel products on the market that can help you keep items like your wallet or money safe. If you insist on carrying a wallet, use a chain, or even better, a retracting, slash-proof cable to avoid the chain tangling when it falls out of the pocket.
A similar and equally popular pickpocket method is the swarm and snatch. While being swarmed by passengers on a full metro train as they enter and exit, a pickpocket skillfully places his hand in your pocket and removes your wallet. Due to the pressure of the passengers around you, you are not able to feel the intruder snatch your money.
Another trick is to snatch the purse, watch or bag from a passenger near the exit and quickly escape through the closing metro train doors.
A passenger enters the train and has a jacket draped over his arm. The passenger stands next to you and gently drops the jacket over the top of your bag or purse, without you noticing. While his hands are out of sight, he is able to reach into your bag and steal your valuables.
Solution: Always keep your belongings in eye’s sight and be wary of passengers carrying jackets or long scarves, especially in the warm summer months – it is unusually to wear heavy clothing in warm weather. To provide an extra layer of security, purchase an inexpensive zipper locking device, such as a Zip-R-Lock Purse Security Clip. The Zip-R-Lock does not actually lock the zipper closed; rather it requires two hands to open the bag and creates a visual deterrent. This device can be used for any zipper closures such as backpacks, laptop bags, etc.
The metro train is full and there are no available seats, so you stand and hold the above handrail. A man next to you insists that he dropped his ticket and you are standing on it. The man bends down and begins to tug at the leg of your trousers. You focus your attention on the odd behavior of the man touching your leg, and his accomplice lifts your cell phone from your front pocket.
Gare du Nord is a bustling train station and connection for express trains from the airport. Opportunists eagerly await the arrival of disoriented tourists with luggage. A well-dressed, young man offers assistance with the foreign ticket machine. While you are consumed with learning how the automat works from the helpful man, his accomplice helps himself to your laptop bag.
While traveling with a friend to the Louvre metro stop, a group of well-dressed, young women with beautiful, long dresses surround you and ask for the time. You check your watch and the women suddenly grab your wrist to admire your watch. Oddly enough, the women do not release your arm. They continue to talk to each other saying how beautiful the watch is. While your friend and you frantically try to free your arm, one of the women has helped herself to the contents of your backpack.
Solution: If you find yourself in such a situation, try stepping on the foot of the woman or man who holds onto you. This reaction will catch them off guard and bring attention to the group.
You have just arrived on a train from Charles de Gaulle Airport to downtown Paris. You suffer from jetlag and are carrying two suitcases, a carry on and a backpack. A stranger approaches you in the train station asking for directions. While you try to explain that you are not from Paris, an accomplice helps themselves to an unguarded bag. The U.S. State Department suggests taking a bus or taxi from the airport into the city.
You and your travel partner decide to play it safe and take the Air France bus from the airport to a downtown train station. You purchase two round-trip tickets totaling 44 Euros with three 20 Euro bills. Once your take a seat, you realize that the driver gave you 6 Euros in change. When you walk to the front of the bus to explain the situation, you overhear another passenger also explaining that they received incorrect change.
Solution: Try to pay with exact change, but when not possible, do not walk away from the bus driver, ticket counter, restaurant, cashier, etc. before counting your change. Research initial costs such as airport transportation before arriving in France.
While going through a turnstile at the Notre Dame metro stop, a young man behind you pushes claiming that the turnstile is stuck. The man reaches across with his left hand over shoulder and releases the turnstile. You are now able to exit, but without your wallet. While the man was pressing against you and distracting you with the tale of the jammed turnstile, he was picking your pocket with his free left hand.
Solution: It is impossible to always avoid these types of spontaneous events, but you can carry your valuables more safely in a money belt hidden under your trousers. With the short window of opportunity for this scam, a money belt will help to spoil the attempt because it is difficult to reach.
Never purchase metro tickets from people on the street claiming to sell them for a discounted rate. Always purchase tickets from either a ticket machine or counter.
Many men find it more comfortable to carry cameras, identification and money in a small bag or waist pack. While traveling on the metro to Arc de la Triomphe two men who are speaking to each other in an unrecognizable, foreign language stand near you. One man was reading a news paper and the other man seems frustrated with him while pointing at the metro map in the train. The man continues to read the newspaper as the train departs he begins to lean on you, pushed from the movement of the train. This makes you feel immediately uncomfortable and while you pay attention to the fact that a stranger is leaning on you, his friend cuts the straps of your waist pack and exits at the next stop. You did not notice the lightness of the missing pack because of the man who was leaning on you – you were focusing on where he was touching you and not the suddenly missing pack around your waist.
Solution: If someone touches you, or presses into you, immediately try to move. Additionally, you can purchase a small bag or waist pack with slash-proof straps or belt with a hidden closure.
Before a RER train departs from Paris, a young person asks you to sign a form while you are seated. An accomplice is behind the young person, and as you busy both of your hands to hold the clipboard and pen, the accomplice is able to steal your belongings, even those sitting in your lap.
Do not underestimate what a thief looks like. While on a packed train, you travel with a group of friends to the Eiffel Tower. Two young girls, younger than 10-years old ask your group if you have any candy. You politely tell the girls no and one of the girls looks at you sadly. While the disappointed little girl continues to stare at you, the second little girl robs you by unzipping your backpack and stealing the camera and wallet. At the next stop, the two girls quickly exit leaving you to notice nothing until they are gone.
During rush hour it can be difficult to enter a packed train. You are able to push your way onto a train with a group of young girls. You are not concerned with pickpockets because you cleverly carry your valuables under your clothes and you hold your hand bag closely to your body. Although you packed smartly, the little hands of the young girls are still able to unzip your bag before you sense anything.
Using payphones in a foreign country can be like learning a foreign language. Once you arrive at the La Chapelle station, you attempt to telephone your friend who you are visiting. A friendly man notices you struggling with the pay phone and offers to help. The man overhears where you plan to meet your friend and offers to accompany you. The man is genuinely friendly, so you accept the offer. Later that night when you arrive at your friend’s flat, you realize that you are missing 500 Euros.
Solution: If you need help with pay phones, ask a staff member of the train station or a storekeeper. If a friendly strangers offers to help you, decline.
While traveling on the RER, an older woman walks up to you with a long scarf or table cloth draped from her arm. She holds out the cloth, but with one real arm and one fake arm. This allows her other real arm to snatch one of your bags lying by your feet.
Be aware in colder months of large winter coats and accessories. The added bulk makes the job of a pickpocket easier as they slip their hand in and out of the coat to grab the goods. Do not carry wallets, money or valuables in the exterior pockets of heavy coats.
Video of Young Child Pickpocket Who Work in Groups in the Paris Metro
The below video was shot by a rider of the Paris Metro. The video shows child pickpockets roaming a Paris Metro subway platform. The video shows how young pickpockets work and roam in groups. Watch how they cover their heads when they realize they are being video taped. Many times, child pickpockets operate in crowded trains and platforms.
Taxis and Driving
The biggest scam with taxis in Paris may be how difficult it is to catch a cab. While there are not as many reports of overcharging or scams on Parisian taxis, compared to Rome for example, it is still to be a vigilant passenger.
You enter a taxi and tell the driver where you would like to go. The driver seems to not understand even though you said quite clearly, “La Louvre”. You pull out a map and even show the driver where you want to go. Finally after a few minutes you realize that the taxi meter has been running the entire time. Beware of the “confused” taxi driver.
Be suspicious of unlicensed taxi drivers who approach tourists at the airport offering a cheaper fare. Because the driver is unlicensed, there is not way for the passenger to know in advance what the fare might be. It is best to wait in line at the taxi stand.
You decide to take a taxi after dinner and the normally five minute trip, takes 15 minutes. You don’t notice the time go by because you are too busy enjoy the site seeing tour that the driver has taken you on. Or maybe you see the Eiffel Tower two times because the driver is going in circles. Sometimes when in the city, it is best to use buses or the metro trains.
Although it is probably not the best idea to rent a car to drive within Paris, you rent a car to drive from Paris to Marseilles. As you are leaving the city, and driving slowly on a congested street, a scooter pulls up next to you, opens the rear car door and steals all of the bags he can grab.
Solution: Always keep car windows closed, doors locked and valuables out of sight. For additional security when traveling by car, try a security system such as the PacSafe Backpack and Security System. The bag and straps are slash-proof and there is an exterior metal caging that allows you to lock the bag to the car in the trunk, for example.
Ride the Paris Metro like a Local
Plan your route before leaving the hotel, selecting the most direct route in order to limit the amount of travel/train time.
Try to avoid changing trains in larger stations such as Gare du Nord, Gare Montparnasse or Chatelet Les Halles. One can easily get lost in these large stations and that makes travelers vulnerable to potential theft.
During busy travel times, stand on the far end of the platform, away from the entrance stairwell.
Stand further back on the train platforms to scout out a suitable, or empty train car to enter. This keeps you out of a crowd and allows you to be flexible to enter a different car at the last moment if necessary.
Carry backpacks or large bags in front of you, especially when the train is full. Carrying your pack on your back signals to other passengers that you are a tourist.
Wrap straps of handbags or purses securely around your wrist, especially when sitting or standing near an exit door.
Additional Paris Metro and Train Pickpocket Information
Know that Paris Metro and Train pickpockets have use simple, but effective strategies that steal items from tourists. Many times pickpockets will have a light jacket or sweater draped over a forearm - which is used to hide the fact that they are reaching under the jacket with the other arm for a victim's wallet. Paris Metro pickpockets will use this type of technique on a crowded metro or train car, but their favorite opportunity seems to be during the bustle and bumping that occur as a car empties and refills. The ideal is to grab a wallet from someone on or boarding the train just before the doors close and then get off while the victim rides away.
Our site contains over 100 pages of travel safety tips and security tips that are useful for any traveler. You will find tips involving luggage theft, avoiding pickpockets, laptop theft, hotel burglary, and airplane, train, automobile, and boat travel crimes.
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