Pickpockets sound like something out of Oliver Twist but they are still a big problem, especially in tourist-friendly places.
We think that we can spot them, but the really good pickpockets don't look like your stereotypical thief and often, they hunt in packs.
People who get pickpocketed are naive or not paying enough attention to their surroundings. Clearly, if someone stuck a hand in our purse or pocket, we'd notice, right?
They're trained to distract us, to play off our emotional faculties, and to misdirect our attention so that they've stolen something without us even noticing.
The two friends were visiting London and on their way to the Palace Theater, filming a short vlog to show friends back home.
Except that when they got to the other side, Toi checked her bag and realized that her designer wallet and all of its contents were missing.
I mean, if the wallet was stolen, the thieves wouldn't have done it in view of a camera, right?
For all their planning, the three (or possibly four) women involved were all clearly visible, starting with a woman over Nina's left shoulder.
When the act happens, the first woman holds up a large black bag, presumably to block the view from any pedestrians walking behind them all.
That's where the third woman in the orange scarf comes in. She crosses behind the thief, who passes her the wallet.
Toi and Nina reported the theft and provided the video as evidence.
Even the smartest, most spacial aware people can be victims of theft. The only thing you can really do to lower your chances of it happening to you is invest in a closer-to-body purse.
Even though I knew to watch for it, I still missed the grab the first time I watched the real-time video. It happens that fast.
h/t: Viral Press
