How it works:
- Situation: Poland has one of the highest reported pickpocket cases in Eastern Europe.
- Version 1: they work in a gang – one onlooker, one blocks, pushes, distracts, or engages you, one grabs and the final hides the loot under a cover (e.g. jacket/newspaper) and escapes.
- Version 2: petition charity scam.
Places to beware:
- Gdansk: Old Town, Dluga Street (ul. Dluga), Motlawa River Embankment (Dlugie Pobrzeze), Neptune’s Fountain (Fontanna Neptuna), Gdansk Glowny Railway Station
- Krakow: Main Market Square, Stare Miasto, Kazmierz The Former Jewish District, St. Mary’s Basilica in Krakow, Wawel Royal Castle, Wawel Cathedral, Cloth Hall (Sukiennice), St. Florian’s Gate (Brama Florianska), Ulica Florianska, Krakow Old Square, Rozbrat Square near Lazienki Garden
- Poznan: Old Market Square
- Sopot: Monte Cassino
- Warsaw: Old Town, Warsaw Rising Museum, Old Town Market Square, Castle Square (Plac Zamkowy), Zamek Krolewski w Warszawie – Muzeum, Nowy Swiat, Zlote Tarasy, Warsaw train station
- Wroclaw: Rynek, Market Hall (Hala Targowa)
What to do:
- Passport: carry a photocopy instead of the actual one.
- Valuables: wallet in front pocket, small valuables in a money belt/hidden pouch, large valuables in an anti-theft bag.
- Travel insurance: get a good one that covers theft (e.g. World Nomads, trusted by Lonely Planet and National Geographic – review).
