How it works:
- They work in a gang – at the beach/shops, someone observes where you keep your cash when you pay for something. Local kids are then sent to steal from you.
Places to beware:
- Belem: Estacao das Docas, Mercado Ver-o-Peso
- Belo Horizonte: Mercado Central de Belo Horizonte, Hippie Fair
- Brasilia: Santuario Dom Bosco
- Curitiba: Centro Historico de Curitiba
- Fortaleza: Iracema Beach, Meireles Beach
- Foz do Iguacu: Iguazu Falls
- Manaus: Adolpho Lisboa Municipal Market
- Natal: Ponta Negra Beach
- Porto Alegre: Farroupilha Park (Redencao), Mercado Publico de Porto Alegre, Centro Cultural Usina do Gasometro
- Rio de Janeiro: Sugarloaf Mountain, Corcovado Christ the Redeemer, Arpoador beach, Museum of Tomorrow, Ipanema Beach, Copacabana Beach, Leblon Beach, Escadaria Selaron, Rodrigo de Freitas Lake, Real Gabinete Portugues Da Leitura, Maracana, National History Museum, Avenida Atlantica, Maua Square, Aterro Do Flamengo, Feira Hippie de Ipanema, Church of Our Lady of the Candelaria, Carioca Aqueduct, Saara, Botafogo Beach
- Salvador: Pelourinho, Praia do Porto da Barra, Praia Farol da Barra, Flamengo Beach, Igreja de Nosso Senhor do Bonfim, Elevator Lacerda, Mercado Modelo
- Sao Paulo: Ibirapuera Park, Paulista Avenue, Pinacoteca do Estado de Sao Paulo, Mercadao – Sao Paulo Municipal Market, Liberdade, Jardins District, Mosteiro De Sao Bento, Batman Alley, The Julio Prestes Cultural Center – Sala Sao Paulo, Catedral da Se de Sao Paulo, Shopping 25 de Marco, MASP Antiques Market
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).
