Paris thief throws away keys after finding out car is in Singapore
Paris is indeed the city of love… to pickpocket.
A Singaporean TikTok user shared his encounter with a thief in Paris and how Apple AirTags saved his keys and his life.
While on his vacation, @/eclair_travels on TikTok got his keys stolen while he was busy taking photos and enjoying the stunning views of buildings. After nine minutes, he realized the pickpocket had unzipped the front pouch of his backpack.
@eclair_travels Saved me a thousand plus dollars and days of servicing time. Apple I luv you <3. #Paris #France #travel #pickpocket #miracle #apple #airtag ♬ original sound - Eclair Adventures
He then noticed that the keys were on the move. "Dude was probably beeping everywhere to find and rob my car," the TikTok user said.
Bad luck to the thief because the car is in the tourist’s home in Singapore.
The tourist immediately went to the police station, but it was closed even on a weekday.
The "wild goose chase" ended up at a botanical garden in Paris, the Tuileries Garden. After a thorough search, they couldn't find it and thought the pickpocket threw the key in one of the many drains.
After they went from a tea shop, they decided to give it a last try. And voilà, the tourist's AirTag detected the keys just 0.5 m nearby.
As expected, the thief wasn't able to find the car and finally gave up. "Dude couldn't find the car and just threw it to the bottom of the bin," the Singaporean said.
It saved him a thousand-plus dollars and days of servicing time replacing the keys. "Apple, I luv you <3," he captioned his video compilation.
When asked why TikTok user @/eclair_travels brought his car keys to Paris, he commented, "It was in my daily backpack. I forgot to take it out from the front pouch."
Despite having a breathtaking cityscape, unfortunately pickpocketing remains a problem in Paris, with expert thieves preying on tourists. In 2019, pickpocketing incidents in the city increased by 74 percent, with over 7,485 thefts reported from January to October.
Paris's prime pickpocketing spots include top tourist areas such as The Louvre, the Arc Triomphe, and the Tuileries Gardens, where the Singaporean tourist experienced the incident firsthand.
How to avoid pickpocketing when you travel
Traveling to Paris anytime soon? Here are some tips to have a comfy and secure trip while on vacation in the French capital, or anywhere else for that matter:
- Be aware of your surroundings, especially in crowded places. Pickpockets often work in groups, so a member may attempt to distract you by asking questions or posing like another tourist, while another member of the group attempts to steal your stuff.
- Be vigilant with your personal belongings, especially your wallet and phone. Always keep an eye on your most important and valuable items.
- Avoid distractions like texting whie walking. When taking photos while sightseeing, never leave your bags unattended and carry them properly in front of you if you can. Crossbody bags usually work best for sightseeing.
- Leave important items you won't be needing for the trip (like car keys) at home.
- If possible, take only the bare necessities while sightseeing. Bring only copies of travel documents and leave valuable items, such as your passport, checks, etc., and uncessary gadgets at your hotel in a safety deposit box.
- Stash money and identification cards in different pockets and not all in one bag. Do not keep all your important items all in one place.
- Invest in anti-theft travel bags, like a purse, backpack, or luggage with built-in safety features. These bags are usually slash-proof, have locking zippers, adjustable locking straps, and other features that make it harder for pickpockets to unzip or open.