Stop! Thief!

The laid-back, relaxed atmosphere of Prague may lull many visitors into lowering their guard. Although crime here is generally rarer than in the West, there is one significant exception: The British consumer magazine Holiday Which? recently conferred on the city the dubious distinction of being the city where you´re most likely to be robbed. Beware especially of the slick-fingered pickpockets here; they make a good living preying on tourists.

An ounce of prevention
Favorite pickpocket hunting grounds are the Charles Bridge, Wenceslas Square, the Golden Lane (Zladá ulička) at Prague Castle and Old Town Square - anyplace where crowds of tourists are likely to gather. Central metro and tram lines, especially crowded trams 9 and 22, have also been cited by police as pickpocket hot spots. Be especially alert when boarding and disembarking trams at Wenceslas Square and on Národní třída, especially when the crowds let out after performances of Laterna Magika.

Pickpockets have honed their trade into a highly choreographed maneuver, often working in gangs of three or more to lessen the risk of discovery. Quite possibly, your wallet will have passed through several sets of hands before you even notice that it’s gone.

The most common trick of pickpockets is to create a distraction. Often, a group of people will try to obstruct your path by arguing with each other. This may allow their partner to shove you from behind and fish for your wallet. The same technique is often used on the metro, especially at the crowded stations Muzeum and Můstek. At the door of a train car, a group may appear to be having a dispute about whether or not to board. You may be pushed from behind or from the side. Look out. If someone is trying to distract you on your right side, it’s probably because his partner is trying to get at something on your left.

• Don’t be an easy mark. Don’t put your wallet in your back pocket. When carrying a purse, wear it across your chest and keep a hand on top. Don’t ever leave bags unattended.

• Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Keep your money and IDs in several different places. Money purses and belts that can be safely tucked inside clothing are still handy traveling companions.

• Keep photocopies of your passport and other valuable documents separate from the actual documents.

Be wary while travelling, not scared (By Carol Pucci, Seattle Times)
Open any guidebook on Prague, and almost every chapter will mention a tourist scam. Cheating taxi drivers top a long list of warnings. Visitors are told to beware of restaurants that pass out English menus with no prices and charge for ketchup hidden behind napkins.

Tourists are warned about pickpockets on the trams, train conductors on the take and street vendors hawking tickets for orchestra concerts that end up being held in someone’s basement.

Why go at all? It’s a question I asked myself many times. Despite its reputation as Europe’s architectural jewel, Prague is a city I’ve bypassed over the years. The idea of having to look over my shoulder at every turn was one of the reasons.

When I finally made it to the Czech Republic a few weeks ago, I was prepared for the worst. Instead, I experienced just the opposite.

My husband and I enjoyed dinner for two for $9 to $15, with prices for bread and extra items clearly marked. On a train ride back from the countryside, a helpful young conductor sat down beside us and explained in halting English that everyone would have to get off and ride a bus part of the way because of the tracks were being repaired.

We rode the trams without problems and bought tickets from a street vendor for a delightful Vivaldi concert performed by a professional chamber group in a chapel decorated 18th-century frescos.

Only once did we catch a waiter adding up the bill in his favour.

Has Prague cleaned up its act, or were we just lucky? Perhaps it was a little bit of both. Just because we escaped trouble doesn’t mean that someone else might not.

Avoiding trouble is often as simple as making a few rules for your self and remembering to follow them. Here are a few that work for me:

Assume that some point you will be the target of a pick-pocket or purse-snatcher. Safeguard your valuables. Carry small amounts of money and keep it on the inside of your clothing. Backpacks are easy targets. So it is wallet in your back pocket or a purse hanging from your shoulder. Keep in mind that taximeters can be rigged. Ask a local what the ride should cost.

Count your change and check your restaurant bill. Know what you’re ordering and how much it costs. Don’t assume something is free - bread, nuts etc. – just because it appears on your table.

If you don’t want to pay inflated tourist prices, walk a few minutes away from the main drag and chances are you’ll find a local spot.

Check to see that any item you buy is the one that ends up in your box or bag. When I purchased a crystal vase in Prague, the shop owner, aware of this scam, opened the box to show me it was the same one I saw on the shelf.

Don’t let your credit card out of your sight. Pay at the cash register rather than giving your card to waiter, or pay in cash. Copying credit cards is a common scam in restaurants, especially in Mexico and Eastern Europe. The fake cards are sold and used by thieves even while you have the original in your possession.

Size up any local who offers to be your “guide”. Make it clear you’re not interested in buying anything. (Most are in business to collect commission from shopkeepers.) The best advice is probably to ignore anyone who approaches you on the street, but I had actually more good luck than bad with these people, especially in poorer countries. I don’t dismiss them entirely.

Be polite when questioning a charge or anything suspect. My experience in Prague taught me that a few unscrupulous characters have tarnished the reputation of many honest business people who are struggling to make a living.