5 ways to protect yourself from theft on public transport

The Belgium federal police just released figures that show that 54 people per day are robbed on public transport. The vast majority of these robberies – over 16,000 of the about 20,000 total robberies in 2013 – occurred in the train or metro stations or on the train or metro itself.

Thinking you’ll start taking the bus? Before you change your commute, remember that many of these thefts are avoidable just by taking a few simple precautions. Here are five ways to keep yourself and your stuff safe when using public transportation.

1. Be aware.
Crowded trains and stations provide easy hunting grounds for thieves because your attention is often divided between many things: navigating your way, paying your fare, checking your phone.

These days, nearly everyone is staring as a screen while waiting for their trains – a clear signal that you aren’t paying any attention to what’s going on around you. Make it a habit to people-watch instead of checking your email. The more you look like you're paying attention, the less attractive you’ll look to thieves.

Also, watch out for crowds or commotion. As soon as some thing or event draws your interest – be it an argument, person acting strangely or a messy spill – turn on your high alert. Thieves often work in teams; one or more will distract you, while the other slips into your pocket or bag while you’re not paying attention.

A simple rule is: if it seems unusual, make it a reflex to keep a close eye on your belongings. There’s no reason to be paranoid when you’re out and about, just aware.

2. Question the unusual
I had it once, waiting for the metro at Merode. Two young men waited on the platform with me, and when the metro arrived, we queued to enter the car. What I didn’t notice was one of the young men was standing in front of me and the other behind me.

As he entered the car, the man in front dropped a newspaper he was holding and bent down to pick it up in a way that prevented me from entering. Luckily, there was something odd enough about his wide, straight-kneed bend that made me instinctively reach behind me and feel my backpack. Sure enough, it was open.

We entered the car, and they went and sat on the other end. I inspected my bag. Luckily, they hadn’t had time before I reached back to get in deep enough to my wallet. Before I could say or do anything to warn the other riders, we arrived at Schuman and the men disappeared into the crowd.

This is a common trick, but in retrospect, there were signs that something was off before I noticed my backpack. They had been talking to another man on the way down the escalator, who didn’t seem to know them and looked annoyed. On the platform, they had been very active, moving from one end to another.

Noting behaviours like these as odd, even subconsciously, was probably what primed me to find the man’s inelegant bend suspicious enough to check my bag. So if your intuition is telling you that something is unusual, especially if more than one person is involved, honour that feeling and pay extra attention.

3. Don’t show off
Besides the fact that playing around on your phone or tablet will make you less aware of your surroundings, they also make you more attractive to thieves who see you holding something they want.

At least two friends have told me stories of having iPads stolen from their arms when entering through the slide doors where you swipe your card in the Brussels metro stations. It is easy for a thief to come up behind as you're passing through, grab your tablet, phone, purse, etc from your hand and run off, while the doors close and you’re stuck on the inside, unable to follow.

The simplest solution is not to take your devices out when in the station or waiting for the metro or train. Wait until you’re in your seat, you’ve taken in your surroundings and your bags are safely stored.

4. Stay in contact with your belongings
Rather than setting your bag down beside you, or above or underneath your seat, keep it on your lap, hold it in your hand, or even loop it around a foot. Just make sure it’s touching you. This will make you more likely to be aware if someone else is touching it.

5. Use small deterrents
Thieves are usually looking for the lowest-risk target, so just taking small steps to secure your belongs is likely to dissuade them. Like the tip above suggests, just looping your bag through an arm, foot, or chair leg will make it that much harder for a thief to take. Even a safety pin or a twist-tie linking two zippers increases the degree of difficulty a thief will have to put up with to take your things, making them more likely to look elsewhere.