Metro News Release

For immediate release: March 25, 2005

Safety Reminder: As The Tourist Season Is Upon Us Metro Reminds Customers To Be Aware Of Surroundings

"Pickpocket crime is a crime of convenience,wherever a crowd is found"

With the start of the Cherry Blossom festivities, and the return of baseball to the Nation’s Capital, the annual tourist season is now fully underway. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) wants to remind the more than one million people who use Metrorail and Metrobus to pay attention to their surroundings at this time.

With so many people using public transportation, especially for the very first time, pickpocketing can be an issue. This type of crime is especially prevalent at this time of the year as the summer tourist season approaches and more people are visiting the Nation’s Capital and its tourist attractions. In calendar year 2004, 106 cases of pickpocketing were reported to the Metro Transit Police Department.

"Pickpocket crime is a crime of opportunity, one which is committed in crowded conditions at airports, arenas, bus stations, concert halls, galleries, department stores, malls, train stations, and on street corners  wherever a crowd is found," notes Det. Cedric Mitchell of the Metro Transit Police.

"Most times when people are bumped or jostled in a crowd, the action is just that," Det. Mitchell added. "But other times, it’s the pickpocket criminal who has intentionally bumped the victim in an effort to distract him or her from the actual crime which is taking place."

Det. Mitchell described how to detect perpetrators of this crime and what their modus operandi usually are: "Most work in pairs or small groups. These criminals, usually nonviolent, want to blend in with the crowd, not stand out. Some have been known to dress high-couture in order to mix well in high-end shops in malls, at galleries, theaters, street corners, stadiums and arenas. Crowded trains, train stations and bus stations are also places where pickpockets like to ply their trade."

There are effective steps people can take to prevent themselves from becoming pickpocket victims:

Tips for women:  Carry purses with flaps against the front of your body.

 Make sure all purse zippers and other closures are closed.

 If the closure is at the top of the purse, keep your hand over the closure.

 If carrying a shoulder bag, cross the strap across your body; never let a purse dangle loosely from your hand.

Tips for men:  Carry wallets in an inside coat breast pocket.

 If your wallet must be carried in a back pocket, secure the wallet with a rubber band.

 Avoid patting the pocket where your wallet is when you are in crowded situations. Such action is a dead giveaway as to the location of your wallet.

Tips for anyone:  Be aware of your surroundings at all times.

 Be especially wary if someone appears to create a distraction by dropping money, a newspaper, or any other item to take your attention away from your surroundings.

 Avoid carrying a lot of packages. If you have to, when at a mall, make as many trips as needed to your car to unload extra packages (which should be locked in the trunk of the car).

"Metro is considered one of the safest transit agencies in the country, and our dedicated force of transit officers work hard to keep our system safe for customers and employees 24 hours a day," Det. Mitchell said. Customers are encouraged to call the 24-hour police line at (202) 962-2121 when they want to report a crime or suspicious activity.

News release issued on March 25, 2005.