Keep Your Purse Safe When Dining Out

By Mary C. (Guest Post)

I used to drive a school bus. I would take my drivers license, credit cards and money and put them in a small coin purse. I found a fabric one with a zipper worked the best. I would keep it in my bra. I do not drive the bus anymore, but still keep this habit. Works great!

By

nanaverm

I sit on the strap of my purse and keep the bag between my legs. Fortunately, I hadn't learned the hard way.

By

badwater

Also, another thing, watch large items that might be sitting on top of your grocery bags in a shopping cart, that might not fit in a shopping bag. I've heard of these items disappearing, when the shopper has their heads turned. One incidence I heard of here at one of our local grocery stores, is a lady had came and bought all the grocery items she was going to need for her dinner party that night. She'd had the Bakery Dept. make her up a big tray of fancy holiday cookies, of which were on top of all of her groceries after checking out at the registers. Somewhere in between her checking out at the store & putting her groceries in the trunk of her vehicle in the parking lot, someone stole her big, nice tray of holiday cookies. She never realized it till she got home to set up her dessert table! When she inquired back at the grocery store, they remembered ringing up the item and it getting put in her shopping cart. Not one person saw who stole it from her shopping cart. She didn't know if the thief stole it in the store when she wasn't looking, or if they stole it in the parking lot when she was unlocking her vehicle. Be aware of those folks that are watching you, when you're at the cash registers, when you're shopping, while you're in the parking lot, etc.

By

badwater

My hubby got pickpocketed once, in a restaurant in Las Vegas. He never knew the fellow that bumped into him had lifted his money out of his shirt pocket, till a little while later he went to get gas in his truck to come home on!

In restaurants, I keep my purse sitting on my feet between my legs or have it hanging by the straps over one of my knees during the whole time we're sitting to eat. This way, I know where my purse is.

One time, I was being stalked (by a man & 4 women, all dressed in black clothing, jackets, shoes) in a discount store, in Las Vegas. I had my purse attached to the shopping cart. They never made off with my purse or keys or anything inside of it, but when I realized what was happening, my purse was laying the same way that I'd had it, but my keys were laying a different position than where I'd left them (attached to my purse). This is one of the ways I knew someone had tried to take my purse and realized it was attached. Another way, I knew something wasn't right was that all the hairs stood up on the back of my neck, & a little voice said to me, "Turn around", when I did, there was this specific man standing behind me, closer to my purse, with his hand outreached towards it. When I turned and saw him, I immediately grabbed my shopping cart and walked far away from him and the girls that had also been following me in certain shopping aisles. ALL I can stress to you ladies (maybe guys, too), is BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS AT ALL TIMES!! You never know who might be stalking you.

By betty webb (Guest Post)

The same thing happened to a friend a few years ago at the cracker barrel and they did the same thing charged a lot of things and even groceries at Kroger's. It was close to Christmas so they probably ate well that day.

By Diane (Guest Post)

Hi Debbie52, Sorry to hear about your loss. I wanted to let you know of another scam that has been used in my area. In grocery stores and Walmart type stores a person will watch your action as to your purse after a few minutes subject # 1 will approach and question you about a certain item to get your attention so you will move or turn away from your purse. At that time subject # 2 will remove your wallet and both subjects leave the store and you will not realize your wallet had been stolen until you get to register. There are so many scams out there and the thieves take advantage of honest working people. I hope this will prevent someone from being a victim.

By

Debbie52

Yes, the grocery store or discount store is another place to be careful with your purse. I try to keep mine on my shoulder but if I put in the childseat of the cart, I actually put the safety belt through the strap of my purse or keep the straps over my wrist and if I need to walk away from the cart, I take my purse with!

By

loftworks

Another place to be careful is at the store. I frequently see opened purses sitting in the child seats of carts. The shopper is often several feet away, with her back to the cart. It would be SO easy to lift something from the purse and keep right on walking.

By

pamphyila

My husband won't believe me about people smashing windows to steal things & drives me crazy by leaving his wallet/checkbook/cell phone in the car!!! I once had a window smashed for a package I was going to take to the post office - so I am wary...

By

Debbie52

The reason I would blame the restaurant is that plenty of police reports have been filed already and the restaurant surely knows about it but they do not try to protect the patrons. Atleast they could have a sign to say not to hang personal belongings on chairs. I saw many people doing the same as me. My chair was right up next to the people behind us so I feel it was a bus boy who squeezed in there to clear table and lifted the wallet and passed it off to an accomplice.

Since this happened I bought a different kind of wallet....smaller even then what I had and it was small. I use a small purse and carry only the bare eseentials.

I do not advise locking a purse in a trunk unless you do it at home before you leave and no one sees you. There can always be a bad person lurking around to see you hiding a purse or valuables in your vehicle so that is really not a safe thing to do either. Two years ago I stupidly locked my entire purse in my mini van while my daughter & I were at her gymnastics lesson. I thought having it behind the seat was safe but not so. Came out and my van's passenger window had been smashed and purse was gone. Another vehicle had been broken into the same way...in broad daylight in a busy parking lot!

I have also thought to just start keeping things I may need in my mini van instead of feeling like I need to carry around and then just carry the absolute least amount I can get away with. I suppose even a cell phone could be left in a vehicle....hidden, of course.

I like the idea of having the wallet or a change purse at the bottom with everything else on top. Let's not make it easy on a would-be crook. They do look for an easy target and the right circumstances.

By Rheaad (Guest Post)

Rain Forest is responsible for their dirty floor. It is a well-known fact that one should place their handbag on their lap. If your bag is too cumbersome, then remove your wallet & place on your lap. You are now wiser so stick to this advice and you will not be inconvenienced in the future.

By glinda (Guest Post)

When dining out I lock my purse in the car trunk, and just take in my money in my pocket. (I'm an older mom). If I don't have a pocket, (for women have a shortage of pockets), I usually carry a small palm size flat change purse in my big purse, that I it take out for my money, and hold in my lap. I try to never take in my purse when dining out, or even doing other things in public that involves money. I also like the money belt, that is easily concealed under a blouse. Don't give people reasons to rob you, make it concealed and out of sight. Then you can relax, and enjoy your dinner and time out.

By

Jantoo

Pickpockets move so fast that it can happen anywhere, so I wouldn't blame the restaurant. It happened to me too, years ago. I was standing at a counter looking at a pattern book, put my purse right next to the book, and a small boy grabbed it and ran. I had everything in that purse and never got it back.

We simply have to be smarter than the thieves. Protect yourself and they'll have to find an easier target.

By

bleaueskies

I recently learned that a woman in Van Nuys Ca had her purse on her shoulder, As she got out of the car a car pulled up beside her and took her purse and drove off. I went out and bought a plastic traveling soap dish that snaps shut, This way I put keys one bank card I.D. and insurance card and carry in my pocket instead of carrying a purse, as I am alone most times. p.s. happy ending for woman in Van Nuys, her drivers license and credit card had fallen in the car seat as she exited the car!!

By

pamphyila

You must be upset. I had my wallet taken under similar circumstances. I foil would-be wallet snatchers by putting everything into a change purse at the BOTTOM of my purse. What with the makeup bags, etc., it even takes ME a moment to dig down & find it! (But I did have a makeup bag snatched at a convention once - my friend said they must have thought it was a bank money bag, as it was retangular and olive. They tossed it when they opened it & saw my makeup - so I got it BACK.)