article_snippet.sent: So ‘fanning’ is using your hand with the fingers spread out to feel for valuables, usually using the back of your hand.
article_snippet.sent: The easiest target is one who has their wallet (or phone) in the most vulnerable place: the back trouser pocket.
article_snippet.sent: Not surprisingly, the most difficult target is a watch.
article_snippet.sent: Apparently, Prague and Barcelona are the most dangerous places for pickpockets in Europe; London is listed tenth.
article_snippet.sent: As we walk down London’s Oxford Street, Freedman points out some easy prey: a woman sitting on a bench with an open bag next to her and a man with an unzipped pocket, a phone clearly visible inside a phone.
article_snippet.sent: Ironically, a favourite spot is near signs that say:
article_snippet.sent: According to Freedman: ‘When we see such signs, we instinctively pat we pockets to check we valuables are OK.
article_snippet.sent: After spending time with this cunning man, I can’t help keep patting my pockets obsessively as I walk along the street.