Pickpocketing at railway stations and in trains

The railway stations are often places with high concentration of passengers and therefore offer many possibilities for pickpocketing. The pickpockets usually apply short distraction to their victims by asking a question or just bumping. Sometimes they get on train at the same time as the victim who later discovers missing money or other valuables.

The passengers´ carelessness helps pickpockets during the rail transport. It happens often that passengers put their valuables (mobile phone, wristwatch, or wallet) on a table in coupé and fall asleep. Or they leave their valuables unattended to visit restaurant waggon. When returning back they discover their valuables were stolen.

To eliminate such criminal activities the police officers of the railway police service of the Police Force in Slovakia perform patrols in trains and at stations. The Police Force in cooperation with railway companies prepares various preventive programs for citizens to increase the awareness of the issue. And as a member of the European network of railway police forces - RAILPOL cooperates with other countries to exchange information on tactics and methods of pickpockets and takes part at international police operations „24Blue“ including this topic.