🔴 City with at least one stopped pick-pocket
Editor's Note: Over the years, you have reported on hundreds of pick-pockets stopped red-handed, with hands caught in the cookie jar as they attempt to lift your valuables. What is unknown is the total number of deterred attempts where a seasoned pick-pocket will notice that your pockets are more complex than your fellow travelers' unsecured ones. When we set out to design these innovative pockets, our Flagship Adventure Traveler Pants would feature a triple-secure "security" guard to let the best pick-pockets know they should, to quote Oliver Twist, "pick a pocket or two" somewhere else! The testimonial below will be counted as one stop in Greece, as odds are at least one of these individuals was looking to lift Gerard's wallet.
Dear Clothing Arts,
Last month, I traveled to some of Europe's and the Middle East's pickpocket hot spots. I wore your pants in Lisbon, Barcelona, Rome, Cairo, Istanbul, and Athens. I felt secure from being pickpocketed.
A couple of times, I noticed someone approaching from the front, who looked at the flap with the logo and then walked away.
As I recall, I was in Athens at the Parthenon. It was very crowded. I was always on the lookout for individuals who were by themselves. Something similar happened in Santorini, Greece.
- Gerard C. from Pennsylvania
Editor's Note: This is your 14th known stopped pick-pocket in Greece. This also marks another stop for a traveler wearing a pair of our Women's Travel Pants!!
Dear Clothing Arts,
My Pick Picket Proof Pants saved me today. We were in Athens, Greece visiting the Acropolis. I shoved my passport and wallet in the front pockets and fastened Velcro and zippers. I also wore my small backpack with clips on the zippers, which is supposed to be hard to get into. Less valuable items went in here.
I thought I was very careful in the crowded area, but after we were out only 30 minutes, my husband noticed ALL three zippers on my backpack were open! It appears they only took a sealed bottle of water and a small flashlight, and I had no indication anyone was touching me!
Thankful that they were just looking for $ and didn’t take anything else. More thankful my passport and wallet were safe in my pants. I may wear these pants every day through the rest of our trip through Greece and Italy!
Toni F. from Davenport, Florida
Editor's Note: This your 11th & 12th overall stop in Athens and the second multi-stopped pick-pocket on a single train ride in the city. After reading the below testimonial, check out the previous Quadruple stopped pick-pockets #92/93/94/95!
Dear Clothing Arts,
I bought my husband a pair of your Pick-Pocket Proof Pants for his birthday in early October. We were going on a cruise that started in Athens and ended in Barcelona. The pants more than paid for themselves the first time he wore them on the Athens metro on a busy Saturday night.
My husband initially thought I was a bit paranoid, but he was really glad he had your pants on when he survived 2 pickpocket attempts on the same night on a crowded subway in Athens. On the first subway ride, the thief was able to get 2 rear buttons undone, but not the zipper. After securing all of his pockets and transferring trains, a second thief got one rear button undone as well as the button on the right front pocket. The thief actually had his hand in my husband's front pocket but came away empty-handed because he couldn’t get the zipper or Velcro undone. The pants paid for themselves in a single subway ride!
We didn’t have any close encounters in Barcelona, but we were prepared.
Thanks for a great product!
Joyce W. from Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Editor's Note: This is your 9th known stopped pick-pocket in Athens!
Dear Clothing Arts,
During our vacation to the Mediterranean, our first stop was in Athens, Greece where we experienced a pick-pocketing attempt.
On May 31st we were on the platform waiting for the next Metro train to arrive. As we got on, quickly two women got on in between of us and made it difficult for my wife to cross over to the same side of the train. She finally pushed through and made it to stand next to me. At the same time, I realized one of the women had her hand on my pocket. She never made it past the button on the outside of the front pocket where I had my wallet. I reached down and touched her hand and she immediately put both hands up on the pole on the train as if nothing had happened.
The two jumped off quickly at the next stop and ran up to the next train car to get back on. That was when my wife realized the button on the pant leg where her phone was stored was undone, but the extra security stopped the thief from getting it.
Thanks for the great pants. We enjoy the extra security as we travel.
- Daryle Y. from Colorado, USA
Editor's Note: This testimonial comes to us via a website chat with Chris K. from Florida, USA. It is your 8th known stopped pick-pocket in Athens which is quickly catching up to Barcelona with 10 total stops. The previous Athens testimonial was an incredible quadruple stop on the way into the city center from the airport. You can find that story here: 92/93/94/95th Stopped Pick-Pockets - Incredible Athens Airport Metro Quadruple Stop!
Editor's Note: This is the 7th overall stopped pick-pocket in Athens and the second multi-stop by a single traveler. Read the previous testimonial here: 15 & 16th Stopped Pick-Pocket by One Traveler in Athens!
Dear Clothing Arts,
Add me to your list of happy customers who have thwarted pick-pockets due to your pants. I was taking the Metro from the Athens airport to downtown. I had read that there were pickpockets especially at the Syntagma station where I had to transfer trains. Well, not once, but I was saved 4 times by my pickpocket proof pants.
First, when I stood to exit the train, I was held up by what seemed a normally crowded car, but then I realized I was being intentionally held up as someone grazed my back pocket. I had to push my way out of the car. My zippered and buttoned back pocket saved my wallet and passport.
I entered the next train car which I was to take only one stop. I stood by the door and a fellow got right up in front of me. I stared him in the face as if to say, “I can see you so don’t try anything.” At this time a young woman behind me directed some comments to me in Greek. As the door opened at my stop, the fellow in front of me tried to impede me, as someone brushed up against me from behind. Once again, I had to forcefully shove the guy in front of me so I could keep moving.
As I proceeded toward the escalator, I saw the woman who had directed some words to me in the train. She saw me and said, “They were trying to rob you.” I assured her that my zippered pockets had saved the day. So then, I am riding up the escalator to the exit and a fellow ahead of me steps back down the escalator as we near the top of the ride and obstructs me, as someone brushed up against me from behind! Once again, I forcefully shoved this fellow aside and had aborted a third attempt at felony. This same fellow then raced ahead of me on the second escalator taking us up to street level and stood poised above me about 4 steps staring back at me. I stared him right in the face, not believing his boldness/stupidity. Sure enough, as we hit the end of the escalator’s climb he stood there in my way slowing me up so his accomplice could go for my rear pocket. Once again I shoved the perpetrator aside who then motioned to his accomplice (a female) that they should move on.
I could not believe the number of attempts in such a small period of time. I had never had this experience before. Was in Athens for a week and never had another incident, the town seemed quite safe otherwise. I took the bus back to the airport to be safer when exiting town. The Pick-Pocket Proof pants I was wearing left me with a confident feeling that no pickpocket would be able to remove anything from my person. The pants paid for themselves right there.
Thanks, Clothing Arts.
Greg from Pennsylvania, USA
Dear Clothing Arts,
We were traveling in Greece and Turkey in October, 2014. This was my first trip with my new ClothingArts slacks. Two pick-pocket attempts were foiled in Athens.
The first was in a crowd listening to street music, where I was quite mindful of possible pick-pockets. A young child first "bumped" into me right at my back pocket level, followed shortly by another pressure against the same pocket, apparently from an adult I saw walking away. The concealed zipper on the slacks seemed to been a significant deterrent there.
The second attempt was on a crowded Athens subway. I knew it was coming. As my wife and I stood in the car I watch five men make their way down the car, with one selling Kleenex as a distraction. They stopped around me, but didn't get off at that station. As several of the men were pressed up against me, I could then feel the zipper on my front pocket being pulled - the pocket where I kept my wallet. Fortunately the wallet was inside the second velcro enclosure inside the pocket, and our stop was next, so I said "excuse me" and pushed towards the door. The men would not even move out of the way for my wife and I, but we shoved our way out the door with all our valuables in tact.
Thanks for the extra protection of these slacks. - Bill from California
Dear Clothing Arts,
I knew I would be a good pick-pocket target in Europe. On the Athens Metro, Acropolis station stop, there are a lot of tourists because of the Parthenon Temple above. I remember the station was crowded as usual. When I was aboard the train, I could feel someone touch my front pocket, but I wasn't aware of exactly what was happening because it was so crowded. After the train door closed, one guy touched my shoulder and tried to talk to me: "Do you know English?"
I didn't reply to him and pretended I didn't understand. At the same moment, I could feel movement in my front pocket. When I looked down, someone touched my shoulder again and asked, "This station?"
I looked at him and immediately looked down at my front pocket. I saw another guy was using his finger and trying to open my pocket. Of course, he failed. I slapped his hand and looked right at him. He looked so confused and embarrassed!
At the same time, we arrived at my destination. Before I left the train, I pointed to the two guys and yelled "thief." The door closed and everyone was staring at them.
Thanks for the great pants!
Bill from CA, USA
Photo: Bill & Clothing Arts owner/designer Adam Rapp at the San Francisco Travel & Adventure Show right after Bill told us about the stopped pick-pocket!