Wherever you go, you should never be too sure or relaxed about your safety and security. Who knows who you’ll meet during your trips and if you are not prepared for the worst, you might never be prepared at all.
Paris is one of those commonly visited mega-cities where you can find all sorts of people from all walks of life: you might meet tourists such as yourself and locals who have lived in Paris all their life. On certain days, you might stumble into people who are very sensitive about their personal space and might not be so open towards tourists, but there are also people in Paris who are very eager to help tourists are exploring their hometown.
But like in most mega-cities, you might also stumble upon troubled youths and adults who want to take advantage of tourists or strangers to Paris. Meeting street rogues is not common in Paris, but there have been instances wherein unsuspecting tourists were victimized by thieves in the metro and in some popular parks.
To protect yourself and your items from being stolen, it would be wise to invest in extra secure bags and locks intended for traveling.
First things first, invest in highly-secure padlocks for your luggage. You will need them for your suitcases, large bags, and even your carry-on luggage. If you are bringing a laptop along your trip, it would be wise to invest in an extra-secure laptop bag.
When you plan to go out and do a little exploring, always keep your valuables close. Invest in a travel pouch which you can wear around your neck so you can keep your documents, keys, cards, and cash in one place. Never keep anything important in your back pocket since this is often targeted by pickpockets.
The places where you should be particularly carefully are at the metro and in parks. The metro is often crowded and people might purposely approach you or squeeze next to you as if they are waiting for a ride. When the train does arrive, they tend to leave the scene immediately as if they have abruptly changed their minds. Be careful -- they have either stolen something from you or they can’t find anything valuable to steal.
When you are near the grounds at the Eiffel Tower, beware of small groups of women carrying sheets of paper which might look like petition sheets. When you see them approaching you, leave your spot slowly and naturally and act as if you are leaving. If they continue to follow you, approach a nearby cop. These women are only waving the petition sheet before you to keep you preoccupied while they look through your pockets and belongings to steal valuables.
Also, be careful of little girls and even adults who would, from out of nowhere, tie a homely-looking bracelet around your wrist. You might think it’s sweet, but when they begin to crowd around you and charge you a ridiculous amount like 15 Euros, you would wish you reprimanded them before they even got close.
If you’re quite the photographer, always keep your camera, be it a digital camera or a DSLR, close to your body. Better yet, invest in an anti-theft camera strap; they look like the usual camera strap but one part of the strap is made of braided steel. There are affordable camera straps online, but you might also want to check out Carrefour or Monoprix in Paris.
