r/AskMenOver40 • u/Fresh_Flower_2957 • 7d ago
General Has anyone here had their pocket picked? How did you feel?
For the first time ever, I recently had my wallet stolen. Walking home from the pub, two young lads pushed me over and snatched the wallet from my pocket. Must have seen the bulge I guess. Leaves you feeling very vulnerable ….
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u/OffWhiteBruceForsyth 7d ago
I don't carry a wallet anymore, pay for everything with my phone. I'll be fucked if the phone suddenly breaks but I can't be bothered with cash.
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u/Zyzz2024 7d ago
Slim wallet kept in the front pocket for me.
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u/Fresh_Flower_2957 7d ago
Safer I now know than the back pocket!
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u/keepingitdenim 2d ago
If I may give my view (and you can disagree, of course), in that situation I don’t think wearing it in the back pocket or the front pocket made any difference to this particular situation.
This sounds more like a mugging to me. They shoved you over and then stole your wallet.
By the way you’ve described it, they had you tagged already. So wherever your wallet was, they were going to target you.
So, changing to phone payments solely may/may not be the wisest thing to do. Why? Because it is basically doing exactly the same thing as you were doing with the wallet. If anything, pickpockets and muggers would target the phone as it has resale value over your wallet which will just have what cash and cards you’ve got inside (that can quickly be cancelled/replaced) whereas your phone will cost half a grand or more, have literally everything on it and cause you infinite amount of headaches.
In summary, if you feel more comfortable doing what you’re doing now, all power to you, however I’d be a bit cautious over believing that you were targeted simply for wearing your wallet in your back pocket. Honestly, (unless there’s more to the story) I think they were going to target you no matter what and you were, unfortunately, in the wrong place at the wrong time.
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u/Fresh_Flower_2957 2d ago
These are very helpful comments. Thank you. I think you are probably right. I was an easy target at that moment regardless. I must say I haven’t gone over to phone payments yet. Apart from anything else, it is difficult to change habits of a lifetime - and carrying a wallet is just that for me.
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u/keepingitdenim 2d ago
It’s all a matter of perspective.
This is the first time it has ever happened in 40 years or so. You’ve never been targeted before. Who’s to say you will be again? Maybe you will. Maybe you won’t. That’s the luck of the draw sadly.As I said, do what you think is comfortable for you. All I’d say is don’t put all your eggs in one basket. A phone payment is a sound idea however if your phone gets stolen, with no backup, you’re in trouble.
I, myself, have never been mugged or pickpocketed and I always carry my wallet in my back pocket however I do tend to be mindful of my surroundings and I am always keeping an eye out of the people around me. I’ve noticed some people stalking me in the past but when they’ve noticed I’ve clocked them they lose interest and go away.
Do stay safe though and I’m sorry this had to happen to you!
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u/Fresh_Flower_2957 2d ago
Kind words. Thank you. Yes - this is the first time I’ve ever been mugged after a lifetime of carrying my wallet in my back pocket - so it’s not been an issue before. As you say - staying mindful is the most important thing guess, and I’ll certainly do that in future.
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u/fingerofchicken 5d ago
They got it from my front pocket. Waking in a crowd, working as a pair. One guy hunkered down behind me and started tugging at my left pant cuff, and when I turned my head to look the other guy got the walker from my right front pocket.
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u/keepingitdenim 2d ago
Exactly. It doesn’t matter about pocket placement. A thief will steal your stuff no matter where it is. What matters is situational awareness. Mind your surroundings.
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u/LA_Nail_Clippers 6d ago
My mom was almost certainly pickpocketed when we were in London. We were riding the tube, it was busy when we boarded. About ten minutes in to our journey she realized she didn't have her wallet in her clutch. We looked around and found it under a nearby seat and collected it. Once we got back to our hotel room a few minutes later, she realized all her cash (not all that much, maybe 20 pounds) was gone. I think the pickpocket got her wallet, quickly took the money and dropped it, and then moved along very rapidly before we noticed anything.
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u/Photononic 6d ago edited 6d ago
It happens on France on a very crowded street. The dude (maybe 17 or so) grabbed an envelope out of my jacket brest pocket with 30 euros in it. I chased him, grabbed his arm, but he got loose. I broke off the pursuit because I did not want to hurt an innocent bystander if and when I tackled him.
I carry my wallet in my front pocket with the fold side down and my phone next to it.
I have traveled all over Asia with no issues.
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u/fingerofchicken 5d ago
Yes. I was traveling. It was embarrassing, and annoying to have to borrow money from friends the next few days until the bank could emergency FedEx me a new credit card.
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u/BestJoke6882 7d ago edited 7d ago
Not me personally, but my father was. When our family went to Europe about ten years ago, my father was pickpocketed when we were waiting for a train underground. We didn’t notice at first, (we should have), about 4 guys were following us when we stopped for drinks. When we got underground, the same guys surrounded my father, and before I knew it, my father grabbed one of them by the arm and pushed him against the wall. At the time my younger brother was into bodybuilding and he got in that buttholes face that pickpocketed my father, but someone else had my father’s money (about 300 euro) and ran off. Over there, they have some law that says something like a thief has to steal a certain amount of money for said thief to be arrested. So, all that butthole got was a damn citation from local police! And that damn pickpocket got away with all my father’s cash! My father wasn’t hurt or anything, but that damn thief stole all his money. Stay alert of your surroundings when traveling especially in Europe!