How to Avoid Pickpockets in Lisbon, Portugal

I recently had a very close encounter with a pickpocket in Lisbon, Portugal. Thankfully, nothing was stolen. But I learned and relearned a few important lessons that I wanted to share here with you. My hope is that my story and a few tips on how to avoid pickpockets in Lisbon, will help you stay alert on your next adventure.

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A close encounter with a pickpocket in Lisbon

Lisbon is a wonderful and vibrant city. But this European city, like a lot of European cities, has its fair share of pickpockets. And Lisbon is where I had my closest encounter yet.

Encounter #1

Here is what happened: R and I were leisurely strolling around and we happened to walk down a random Alfama street, which was both a tripping hazard and contained relatively few tourists. Since I have weak ankles, I was moving very slowly. I noticed another tourist behind me and she should have passed me easily. When she did not, I looked over my shoulder and noticed she was inches from me. She kept walking and passed me like nothing was out of the ordinary. I was annoyed and wondered why she waited until the last possible second to pass me. That was my first clue, which I completely missed.

Encounter #2

Later on down the road, I noticed that she was behind me again. I rolled my eyes and moved closer to R and said something like, “This girl is driving me crazy.” Clue number two was also lost on me.

Encounter #3

Clue number three finally hit me over the head. Not long after those two encounters, we were in a more popular area taking some pictures when we heard a commotion and realized a lady was yelling, “Pickpocket! Pickpocket!” She was also pointing towards two girls who were prancing away. It was then that I realized one of the girls was the “other tourist” that had gotten way too close to me. I immediately looked at my purse and saw that it had been unzipped!

Thankfully, nothing had been taken. But I was amazed at how I did not notice or feel a thing as she was unzipping it. I recognize that these folks are professionals, but experiencing it first-hand was eye opening.

We were not alone dealing with pickpockets in Lisbon

I have been lucky in my travels and this was my closest encounter with a pickpocket. We have a couple of friends who have also been lucky in their travels. But that luck ran out for them in Lisbon. Our friends let us know that they did not feel a thing as a purse was removed from the top of a zipped backpack. They also think it was a young lady who got that purse. It was not a devastating loss for them, but it was frustrating and disheartening. 

Lessons learned (and relearned) from a pesky pickpocket

With those stories in mind, here is what those experiences taught (and retaught) me on how to avoid pickpockets in Lisbon and other busy cities:

• Never assume you know what a pickpocket looks like. They probably look like any other tourist. I did not realize that I had a vision of what I thought a pickpocket looks like until someone who looked nothing like that vision almost got my wallet.
• Wear that crossbody bag in front of you, even in non-crowded areas. This is a trick that is well known, but I was not doing it because the area I was traversing had so few people. That was definitely a mistake. Also, this is a good reminder to bury your wallet deep in your bag and not put it in a pocket that is easy to access…like a front pocket. You may even want to invest in an anti-theft bag designed specifically for travel.
• Be aware of the people around you. Thank heavens I was paying some attention or that pickpocket would have gotten her grubby paws on my wallet.

Conclusion

I will not forget my encounter with that pesky pickpocket in Lisbon anytime soon, and I hope this is a good reminder for you too. Stay alert, do not make assumptions about what a pickpocket looks like and make it impossible for them to get into your bag without you noticing. This is how to avoid pickpockets in Lisbon, Portugal. And for more safety tips, read this post on how to stay safe while traveling.