Pickpockets

[Jay]

In any major tourist area or major city, pickpockets are pretty damned good. Even wallets on chains are fair game.

Anyone ever heard of a pickpocket successfully getting into a sporran?

[cessna152towser]

Unfortunately yes. When I was in Spain in 2009 something wet and heavy hit the back of my kilt. A supposedly helpful gentleman appeared and pointed to a large stork which was settling on the roof of a nearby building as being the culprit. He turned my kilt round back to front to show me the stains allegedly caused by bird droppings. He helpfully gave me a bottle of water and tissues to clean the kilt. After he had gone I discovered that the "bird ****" was actually wet sand which he had thrown at me and that while the kilt was turned back to front he had dipped my sporran and made off with some money.

[Chas]

I was just going to quote you, Alex, but you got in first.


Regards

Chas

[Monkey@Arms]

Don't forget that the search feature is your friend: Pickpocket

Best regards,

Jake

[Jay]

Don't forget that the search feature is your friend: Pickpocket

Best regards,

Jake

Hi Jake,

I used the search but all of those topics are locked. This is a chance for newer folks to participate in the discussion.

[Monkey@Arms]

Hi Jake,

I used the search but all of those topics are locked. This is a chance for newer folks to participate in the discussion.

Fair enough, but the wording of the OP suggested that you were wondering if it ever happened, and a quick search answers the question. Since you say you actually knew the answer, an alternative would be to link to a locked thread in your first post, and ask about more recent experiences. Just a thought.

Best regards,

Jake

[Tim Little]

Just need one of these, I guess:

The sporran – now featured at the National Museum in Edinburgh - had a clasp of brass and steel with four concealed pistols. The contraption was meant to be discharged in a reckless attempt to open the locked purse, thus injuring the intruder.

From http://uncannyscots.com/art_definitively.htm

[Riverkilt]

After Alex's sad experience in Spain I rigged a free under the kilt hide out for my wallet and passport when in crowded tourist areas of Quintana Roo Mexico. Just took an old pair of cut offs and cut away all but the waistband and front pockets. Wore it under the kilt. Put a dummy wallet with a few pesos inside in my sporran. If someone dove into my sporran or cut it away like a purse snatcher, then all they'd get was a few pesos and the sporran.

Access to the under the kilt pocket rig was easy. For decorum, and to conceal the device, would access it while in a rest room stall, or while seated at a table in a restaurant where what I was doing wasn't obvious or visible.

Worked perfectly and was free.

[Nighthawk]

After Alex's sad experience in Spain I rigged a free under the kilt hide out for my wallet and passport when in crowded tourist areas of Quintana Roo Mexico. Just took an old pair of cut offs and cut away all but the waistband and front pockets. Wore it under the kilt. Put a dummy wallet with a few pesos inside in my sporran. If someone dove into my sporran or cut it away like a purse snatcher, then all they'd get was a few pesos and the sporran.

Access to the under the kilt pocket rig was easy. For decorum, and to conceal the device, would access it while in a rest room stall, or while seated at a table in a restaurant where what I was doing wasn't obvious or visible.

Worked perfectly and was free.

I did something similar at the Denver Zombie Crawl. I wore a pair of biker shorts under my kilt and kept my wallet in that. Worked perfectly.

[GG]

Unfortunately yes. When I was in Spain in 2009 something wet and heavy hit the back of my kilt. A supposedly helpful gentleman appeared and pointed to a large stork which was settling on the roof of a nearby building as being the culprit. He turned my kilt round back to front to show me the stains allegedly caused by bird droppings. He helpfully gave me a bottle of water and tissues to clean the kilt. After he had gone I discovered that the "bird ****" was actually wet sand which he had thrown at me and that while the kilt was turned back to front he had dipped my sporran and made off with some money.

When my wife and I were in Spain (Barcelona) and also in 2009 we had four attacks of the kind you describe. The funny thing: They only happened when my wife and I were walking together and when I was in shorts.

When I was walking on my own and in kilt I never had any bad experiences.

And we didn't loose anything. We everytime refused having these gentlemen's "help".

But two rather expensive poloshirts were ruined by the liquid they sprayed on my back. On the second day I accordingly went to an H&M and bought four cheap poloshirts.

Greg