Attempted backpack theft

[JustEuman]

A heads up, I had to double back 2 stages today by bus to Navarette to pick up a packing cube of clothing items I had left behind, as the return bus stopped at the Najera I watched as a man put on his own backpack from under the bus and was walking away with my backpack in his hand... I raced off the bus gave a shove and snatched it back.
It was such an obvious thing as they had asked me advice while waiting for the bus in Navarette and only had their own backpacks, they were travelling with a woman I think was German.
I would have called the police if there had been time but the bus driver didn't understand what was happening and wanted to leave

[Edited by moderator to remove photo for legal reasons]

 

[RobertS26]

In Australia you would be the victim of a robbery.

 

[henrythedog]

In Australia you would be the victim of a robbery.

In the UK robbery involves violence or intimidation, otherwise it’s theft.

Whatever it is:

A useful reminder to look out of the ‘bus window at stops

Well done to the OP for recovering their pack

 

[RobertS26]

I was attempting to be humorous after the thread about theft/robbery last month. I made the exact same distinction you did, but to no avail.

 

[henrythedog]

I was attempting to be humorous after the thread about theft/robbery last month. I made the exact same distinction you did, but to no avail.

Sorry. Not paying attention.

 

[Former member 108241]

I've always wondered/ worried about the possibility of this! The thing that gives me the most anxiety about international travel is when I'm trapped behind someone in the security queue who has to remove shoes, belts, jackets, jewellery, while my luggage sails ahead through the scanner to the other side without me. Also very busy carousels at luggage pick up point!

Well done on staying alert and averting a disaster.

 

[good_old_shoes]

What a sad experience, but good reaction. Well done!

While rare these things do happen, sometimes. Without worrying all the time, still good to keep an eye on your stuff.

On my first Camino another pilgrim ("pilgrim") tried to steal the small bag I had for my valuables. It was always close to me. I put it on the bed while putting on the single-use sheet on the mattress. It was directly next to me, I only turned away from it for seconds to put the sheet on the other side of the mattress.
Noticed something next to me, turned back around, and there was a guy I had never seen before with my bag in his hands.
He said he "just wanted to help me put the sheet on, and the bag was in the way". Sure! Especially since he was extremely disrespectful throughout the evening, partying until late in the dorm, making fun of me when I asked to please be a bit more quiet in the dormitory, and when it was finally quiet and lights out, he seriously started fake snoring as loud as possible trying to still disturb others! Surely this very pleasant person only wanted to help!

I still leave my backpack unattended, though, for example when going to the supermarket, in front of a bar ect. If anyone wants my potentially bed bug infested dusty, smelly backpack with dirty laundry in it, they must be quite desperate and probably need it even more than me.

 

[Anamiri]

A heads up, I had to double back 2 stages today by bus to Navarette to pick up a packing cube of clothing items I had left behind, as the return bus stopped at the Najera I watched as a man put on his own backpack from under the bus and was walking away with my backpack in his hand... I raced off the bus gave a shove and snatched it back.
It was such an obvious thing as they had asked me advice while waiting for the bus in Navarette and only had their own backpacks, they were travelling with a woman I think was German.
I would have called the police if there had been time but the bus driver didn't understand what was happening and wanted to leave

[Edited by moderator to remove photo for legal reasons]

Lucky you saw in time and got it back!

 

[Pilgrim9]

I've always wondered/ worried about the possibility of this! The thing that gives me the most anxiety about international travel is when I'm trapped behind someone in the security queue who has to remove shoes, belts, jackets, jewellery, while my luggage sails ahead through the scanner to the other side without me. Also very busy carousels at luggage pick up point!

Well done on staying alert and averting a disaster.

Thefts from security scanner belts is a valid concern. I have read about such thefts - and cases where the perpetrators were quickly caught and later convicted based upon airport security camera footage.

To reduce the risk, I use a white paint pen to mark my initials in LARGE LETTERS on the my-body-facing side of each of the objects that I must take off and put through the scanner, and ensure that that clearly-marked side of each object faces upwards from the tray or conveyor belt so that my initials will be visible to security cameras and to opportunistic thieves. My theory is that a thief will avoid my stuff due to the impossibility of later claiming that they took my stuff "by mistake". It has worked so far.

I also mark my checked luggage.

The paint pens I buy have fibre nibs that are about 2.5 mm in diameter and are available from e.g. Princess Auto Parts in Canada, selected other hardware stores, and online.

I have found that dabbing the paint pen nib against the to-be-marked surface works better than attempting to drag the nib across the surface.

Let the paint dry for at least 24 hours before using the marked objects.

 

[JCarpenter]

On the night train from Santiago to Madrid, I was asleep in our room when one of the other women got up presumably to use the bathroom. She did not lock the door upon her return. I was just drifting off to sleep again and another person walked in, a man, and was searching around my daughter's legs for a purse. Very brazen! As it turns out, yelling "Hey!" and a punch in the flank is internationally understood to mean "Get out now."
He left with an apology. I have often wondered if the woman left the door unlocked on purpose, or did the man follow her and hear that she forgot to lock the door.
But there is an example of how I thought I could let my guard down a little, but was mistaken. My daughter and I keep our things inside our sleepsacks. That worked. He might have gotten away with something but for that.

 

[basquelady]

A heads up, I had to double back 2 stages today by bus to Navarette to pick up a packing cube of clothing items I had left behind, as the return bus stopped at the Najera I watched as a man put on his own backpack from under the bus and was walking away with my backpack in his hand... I raced off the bus gave a shove and snatched it back.
It was such an obvious thing as they had asked me advice while waiting for the bus in Navarette and only had their own backpacks, they were travelling with a woman I think was German.
I would have called the police if there had been time but the bus driver didn't understand what was happening and wanted to leave

[Edited by moderator to remove photo for legal reasons]

If you have a partner/friend/buddy sharing the ride, then hooking your 2 packs together can be a deterrent. My husband and I have done this on several camino and non-camino trips. It can be stressful, keeping an eye on what is going on under the bus!

 

[vernakeoho]

Thanks to all of you for posting small steps which can be taken to prevent unpleasant experiences before and during the Camino. Itʻs easy to be less attentive when one is tired, physically and emotionally, and sad that anyone would take advantage of this. We had just one potentially "bad experience" in 2016, probably due to our advanced age and having walked into a neglected part of town looking for something to eat ... the bartender called us a taxi to return to the albergue safely. Good lessons and we will keep all these suggestions in mind as we walk our third Camino in Autumn.

 

[Sue127]

Thanks for the tips. After my next camino I will have a 21 hour bus journey. Day time, no problem but the overnight one, if the bus is not full, by bag will be with me. After nearly three weeks of walking, I'm sure that no one would really want the contents of my bag!

 

[mattythedog]

For my last 2 Caminos, I sewed AirTags into my moneybelt and my pack. I had no issues, but it was comforting to get the notification on my mobile phone whenever I got a certain distance from my belongings, even thought it was on purpose. I also label my pack, sleeping bag, drybag of clothes, trekking poles, moneybelt and other more expensive items with name, address and email.

 

[JustEuman]

For my last 2 Caminos, I sewed AirTags into my moneybelt and my pack. I had no issues, but it was comforting to get the notification on my mobile phone whenever I got a certain distance from my belongings, even thought it was on purpose. I also label my pack, sleeping bag, drybag of clothes, trekking poles, moneybelt and other more expensive items with name, address and email.

I do have a Samsung smarttag sewn into my backpack as well so would have found the backpack eventually but probably empty.
I love the smarttag, it's also a good way to follow your bag in airports and you can be sure that you bag is on your flight

 

[Mycroft]

Thanks for the tips. After my next camino I will have a 21 hour bus journey. Day time, no problem but the overnight one, if the bus is not full, by bag will be with me. After nearly three weeks of walking, I'm sure that no one would really want the contents of my bag!

But the thief won't know that until s/he already has stolen it.

 

[ilbestro12]

I always wondered about that under bus storage. Usually the driver would get out at the stop but maybe i just had good drivers.

I think someone took a few of my socks by accident. Or the dutch brothers at Roncesvalles lost them while spinning my clothes dry. Those spinners are amazing.

 

[Sue127]

But the thief won't know that until s/he already has stolen it.

True, but everything of real value wi be on my person.

 

[Sue127]

I always wondered about that under bus storage. Usually the driver would get out at the stop but maybe i just had good drivers.

I think someone took a few of my socks by accident. Or the dutch brothers at Roncesvalles lost them while spinning my clothes dry. Those spinners are amazing.

The bus driver usually gets off but there's nothing to say that he remembers whose bag is whose. They don't check ID

 

[WGroleau]

Thefts from security scanner belts is a valid concern. I have read about such thefts - and cases where the perpetrators were quickly caught and later convicted based upon airport security camera footage.

An attempted theft in the presence of so many witnesses, cameras, etc. indicates a level of intelligence almost certain to get caught even without the cameras.

 

[Apsnair]

Thefts from security scanner belts is a valid concern. I have read about such thefts - and cases where the perpetrators were quickly caught and later convicted based upon airport security camera footage.

To reduce the risk, I use a white paint pen to mark my initials in LARGE LETTERS on the my-body-facing side of each of the objects that I must take off and put through the scanner, and ensure that that clearly-marked side of each object faces upwards from the tray or conveyor belt so that my initials will be visible to security cameras and to opportunistic thieves. My theory is that a thief will avoid my stuff due to the impossibility of later claiming that they took my stuff "by mistake". It has worked so far.

I also mark my checked luggage.

The paint pens I buy have fibre nibs that are about 2.5 mm in diameter and are available from e.g. Princess Auto Parts in Canada, selected other hardware stores, and online.

I have found that dabbing the paint pen nib against the to-be-marked surface works better than attempting to drag the nib across the surface.

Let the paint dry for at least 24 hours before using the marked objects.

Good tip. Thanks.

 

[DonnaS18]

I've always wondered/ worried about the possibility of this! The thing that gives me the most anxiety about international travel is when I'm trapped behind someone in the security queue who has to remove shoes, belts, jackets, jewellery, while my luggage sails ahead through the scanner to the other side without me. Also very busy carousels at luggage pick up point!

Well done on staying alert and averting a disaster.

I used to work in lost baggage for a major airline. The number of “wrong takes” never ceased to surprise me. Over 99% of the time they were legitimate with the passenger not realising until they got home. Usually it was black bags, either soft or hard shell, apparently black bags look the same. Hence I now put coloured bows on the handles n a sticker on each side to minimise the chance. Also I put a name n address sticker inside the bag in case the handle gets torn off.

 

[yawenmo]

I always wondered about that under bus storage. Usually the driver would get out at the stop but maybe i just had good drivers.

I think someone took a few of my socks by accident. Or the dutch brothers at Roncesvalles lost them while spinning my clothes dry. Those spinners are amazing.

On my first Camino I let the Dutch man downstairs to do my laundry because I couldn’t move even a finger. It came back to me with a single sock that wasn’t mine. I think this happens more often than we imagine.