How to Survive Amusement Park

[Au Naturel]

Thank you. I did not know this. I am suddenly feeling very scared because I did not know. That is an important life skill to know and I had no idea. I wish there were a book of life skills, chapters on different important things.

I am trying to imagine a pickpocket getting up in the morning to go to an amusement park just to steal people’s things. I wish the parks would catch them.

Any busy area where people are crowded and distracted is perfect for a pickpocket. (I tend to avoid crowded, distracting areas for sensory reasons, but sometimes it is unavoidable, and sometimes the fun outweighs the sensory issues.) Once you understand, it isn't a big deal.

Keep your credit card inside a wallet or sleeve that blocks RFID scanners. A credit card that allows you to tap and pay is vulnerable to being read by anyone with a scanner. Try to avoid debit cards because they are more difficult to recover from if used fraudulently. (My credit union treats debit card fraud just like credit card fraud but most do not.) Report a missing card immediately. Don't spend days trying to find it.

Cell phones are as vulnerable as credit cards to theft. Most people do not lock their phones. A lot of useful data there. Plus, your phone is probably expensive to replace.

Anything valuable gets left at home or is kept inside your clothing. Pickpockets target your exterior pockets, and hip and outside jacket pockets are the most vulnerable. Purse straps are easily cut for a snatch and run. Packs can be slit open with a razor. I keep my cash loose in my front pocket and any important plastic in a difficult-to-reach area. Ditto my car key fob and house key. You might consider an old-fashioned money belt for high-density tourist areas.

Be quick about taking cash out and putting it away for a transaction. A thief will notice if you stand there fiddling with your cash, counting it, or folding it neatly. He or she might just grab it and run.

That said, if you aren't in a high-density tourist area, your chances of being pickpocketed are slim to none. I still keep my valuables in a Velcro or zippered pocket simply because I'm far less likely to lose them.