Caution to Christmas markets: the Tricks of The pickpockets

caution the case: The Hessian police warn of thieves on Christmas markets and in shopping hustle and bustle of the Advent season. “Unfortunately, these people put on collections are also pickpockets. The confusing throng between the market stalls offers a good opportunity, unnoticed, to strike“, informed the officials.

According to the criminal statistics were displayed last year in Germany a total of 127.376 Bag thefts. Any loss as a result of 41.3 million euros. In Hessen, the pecuniary damage amounted to EUR 1.3 million. The number of Bag thefts has decreased significantly the last, as the Hessian Ministry of interior announced. 2017 7638 cases were regstiert. This meant, in comparison to the previous year, a fall of 1893 cases or 24.8% to 5745 cases.

One distracts the victim

Professional work with offenders, do the piece, how the police evaluates. “The pickpockets are looking quite specifically for the Close in the markets. One distracts the victim, the Second steals the loot, and a third takes the stolen goods and disappears in the crowd“, says Harald Schmidt, Director of Police crime prevention. Within a few seconds have disappeared in this way, wallet, cell phone or credit cards. The thieves are usually only difficult to locate, if you are not caught straight in the act. To make matters worse: The victim will notice the loss often later and will be able to describe therefore no perpetrator.

In fashion at the long fingers of the so-called Nudge-Trick: A thief comes to the victim especially closely, until it turns away angry, and this is a umgehängte bag or in the pocket of that coat contained a wallet, quasi – “ready to hand”. Another repeatedly successful mesh of the thieves: to soil The clothes of the victim, allegedly, accidentally with Ketchup, mustard or a liquid, to the subsequent attempt during the Cleaning help, the theft of valuables to distract.

According to police, pickpockets on the markets already at the typical view search to recognize. You avoid direct eye contact with the victim, and look rather to the prey, such as a Hand or shoulder bag.

Young suspects

the Christmas market, The prevention experts from the police rates for visitors: Just as much money, and payment cards take, as is actually required. Possible, money, cards, and other items of value should be in different and, above all, closed inside pockets of your clothing as tightly as possible worn on the body. Hand – and shoulder bags should always be used with the lock side, worn on the body. Suspicious Christmas market should be-visitors, if you are jostled suddenly, or you will be harassed.

The strong decline in the number of Bag thefts in the country is looking for information from the Hesse Ministry of the interior, especially in Frankfurt. Alone in the area of the police headquarters there in 1283 cases were less registered. The are 36 percent less than in the year 2016. The police work was done mainly at the Central station and the Frankfurt trade fair is noticeable. The potential pickpockets and con artists quenched permanently.