Editor's Note: This is your 37th known stopped pick-pocket in Rome and came to us via a Facebook comment.

Editor's Note: This is your 36th known stopped pick-pocket in Rome!

Dear Clothing Arts,
 
Here is my pickpocket story. Fortunately, it was pretty boring 😊.
 
I had my first-ever pickpocket attempt experience. I was boarding the metro in Rome. After just boarding the train car, this young lady blocked my way from going further into the train. She appeared like a regular commuter and not a gypsy. She asked me in Italian if she was on the right train line. This is ridiculous because I obviously look like a tourist.
 
I said I didn’t know in English and tried to get by her, but she blocked my way and asked again. I tried to move away again, and that’s when I noticed she had 2 other ladies joining her. I felt a hand around my pocket. I yelled, “Hey!!!!” and forced my way past them. They were probably stunned when I yelled at them, but they quickly got off the train.
 
Fortunately, I had convertible pants from Clothing Arts. The zipper and button to my pocket were secure, and the pickpocket got nothing.
 
Thanks, Clothing Arts!
 
David H from Winter Park, Florida

Editor's Note: This is your 6th known stopped pick-pocket in Naples! The photo above was taken by our founder / desiger Adam Rapp on his original travels that inspired the pants Bill G. was wearing during his trip to Naples. His testimonial came in via a Facebook comment.

--- Here Is Our Follow-Up ---

Editor's Note: This is your 35th known stopped pick-pocket in Rome!

Dear Clothing Arts,

I recently purchased your Pick-Pocket Proof Adventure Travel Pants for my vacation to Europe. I want to report a successful pick-pocket stop at the Metro in Rome, which occurred on June 14th.

While in Rome, I boarded the red-line train at the Metro Termini (Train Central Station) to head back to my hotel. The train was mostly full but had a little bit of room to move. I was standing near a door when the train departed. Two women about 25 years old, both dressed in a white Polo with a green collar and green sleeves, approached me, speaking English with a strong Austrian accent. One woman stood on my left side, out of view, while the second one asked me several questions about what direction the train was going and if she was on the right train. She asked if a specific stop was part of the route.

As I turned left to look at the route map over the door, the second woman moved behind me and to my right side. I took a slight step right and felt her hand near my front pocket. Upon feeling that, I checked my pockets to find that the front zipper had been zipped up to under the button flap for both front pockets. The button had not been undone on either side, and the inner zipper remained unzipped. I had my phone in my left front pocket and my wallet and passport in my right front pocket all behind the inner zipper, and lost nothing. I then turned to the women and said, "you didn't get what you were looking for, did you?" They both looked at me in disgust and moved on.

This was at the beginning of my vacation, and the Pick-Pocket Proof Adventure Travel Pants saved a lot of frustration and money. Thank you for making such a great product. They are well worth the investment!

Best regards,

Todd T. from Sioux Falls, South Dakota​

Editor's Note: This is your 33rd & 34th known stopped pick-pockets in Rome! Pick-pocketing is a silent crime and Derek's experience below highlights how easy it is for a pick-pocket to attempt a theft on crowded public transport. Zippered pockets don't move themselves, and combined with Derek's location at the time (a bus in Rome) we have two successful stopped pick-pockets by a single traveler. The pick-pockets noticed that Derek's pants were more secure than everyone else's on the bus, so they simply moved on to the next target. Here is Derek's testimonial...

Dear Clothing Arts,

We have just returned from Italy. While traveling through Rome, we decided to take public transportation. I wore your shorts everywhere.

While riding the bus, I made a point of buttoning the side flap over the front pocket zippers. The buses were crowded, and people were bumping into each other as I stood. On two separate occasions, when I got off the bus, I noticed the zipper had been raised to the height of that flap. I can’t say for certain someone tried to pick-pocket me, but the zipper never raised up on its own any time I wore the shorts.

Afterward, I noticed the little opening at the bottom of the zipper to tuck the zipper head into. From that point forward, I had no further issues, even while riding the bus.  

I have to say, I had never felt more confident walking around Rome. My family’s passports were all in the inner zipper pocket on one side, my wallet in the other side, inner zipper. I kept a small amount of pocket cash for cabs, snacks, etc. in the main part of the pocket, and the credit card I used throughout the trip inside the inner velcroed pocket.    

I work in the film business, and many of my film friends travel to countries with high rates of theft. I have told everyone I know about these shorts.  

Best,
Derek K from Pennsylvania

Editor's Note: This is your 32nd stopped pick-pocket in Rome and came to us by way of a Facebook message. Jeff L. from Brewster, New York and has worn both his Adventure & Business Traveler Pants since 2017.

Editor's Note:  Incredibly, this is the 31st known stopped pick-pocket in Rome! This testimonial was recently sent in by Dale J. via a Facebook comment and is your first known stop since travel has restarted.

As tourists return, pick-pockets will inevitably follow. The pick-pockets have been out of work for nearly 2 years and we expect to see a rise in attempts being made in the near term. So now more than ever, it pays to be prepared. Since receiving this testimonial, we have learned of two more successful stops that we will publish shortly. Dale was wearing a pair from our Adventure Traveler Line where the front pockets features a horizontal security guard unique to our apparel.

Pro-tip: Wear your shirt untucked to cover the pocket as a 4th layer of defense, on top of the triple-secure design our pants offer. The pick-pocket will have no idea what is going on with your pocket and move along to find an easier target... since everyone else has unsecured pockets, why try harder?!?!

Editor's Note: This is your 5th known stop in Florence.

Dear Clothing Arts,

Just wanted to send a note and t​h​ank you. We just got back from a great trip in Italy, where I was wearing my new Adventure Travel Pants. I was being double paranoid, using a money belt and a decoy wallet in the back pocket of my pants.

No issues that I know of in the airports, or over most of the trip, but that changed when we took the train from Florence to Rome. It wasn't long at the Florence train station before I noticed the back right button on my rear pocket was undone, and the zipper was partially open. They of course never got into the pocket itself, much less to my decoy wallet in the inside pocket.

Hopefully, I gave the attempted pickpocket a frustrating day!

Regardless, the pants helped take a lot of stress and worry out of our travels, as I was able to feel confident that nothing would be stolen.

Thanks,
Jerry W. from Edmond, Oklahoma

Editor's Note: This is your 5th known stop in Florence.

Dear Clothing Arts,

Last October, my wife and I spent a week visiting Florence, Italy. Every day we walked across the main square, the Piazza del Duomo to get somewhere. As usual, one afternoon, the square was filled with people but I was unaware of physical contact with anyone. As we left the square, I noticed that one front pocket button of my PPP Adventure pants was no longer closed.

Another wallet saved by Clothing Arts!!

- Larry H. from Ann Arbor, Michigan

Editor's Note: This stopped pick-pocket testimonial came from a recent review left on the Adventure Traveler Pants page. It references Adventure Traveler Shorts that feature the same secure pockets found on the pants.