“CYA” theft warnings
In my previous post on theft from lobbies, I reported that the Hertz office had a sign on its door warning that thieves worked…
Lobby luggage theft
Purses and backpacks go missing at the worst times. Like, when they’re filled with cash, passports, cameras, medications, travel documents, and laptops. Like, when…
Hotel lobby luggage theft #2
The scene: a hotel lobby, late morning. Guests sit with their luggage, waiting for rides. Some are waiting to check in. A man walks…
Hotel oddity #11
What could be the purpose of a motion-detector inside a hotel room? Is this a new trend? This one, in our room at the…
Hotel Oddity #10
What is this? Anyone have a clue? It was mounted on the inside of our Westin Hotel room door. I know, I could have…
Theft in South Africa
South Africa—It was somewhat of a shock to find nothing but white lines on asphalt in the place we knew we left a van….
Hotel Oddity #9
I don’t think a plugged-up hotel bathtub or sink is terribly odd. The number of them we run into though, is. Why doesn’t housekeeping…
Shoulder-surfing credit-card thief—part 2
Bob had just made contact with the shoulder-surfing thief… Pirouetting, I went to find Kun Chang, our film director, who’d been with us all…
Shoulder-surfing credit-card thief
We started early at Gare de Lyon in Paris, on the hunt for a particular thief. He’s known for a specific M.O., and for…
Will the Pickpocket keep his appointment?
After such a successful meeting with Pierre the part-time-Parisian-pickpocket, our filmmaker, Kun Chang, was full of confidence. He booked a soundman and assistant for…
“Pickpocket from Paris since 13 year old”
“Dear Bob, My name is Pierre. I’m 33 years old and I have worked as a pickpocket in Paris since the age of 13.”…
Stolen purse leads to worse
Ms. Shopper’s in the store when her kid has to pee. While she’s helping the little one, her purse is stolen from the store…
How to steal a Rolex off a driver’s wrist
When we interviewed Luciano in Naples, Italy, our translator, a Napolitano, explained how Rolexes are stolen off the wrists of drivers in the summer….
Don’t let the bed bugs bite!
Violent sex in hotel rooms may or may not excite you, but it’s happening more and more often these days. “Traumatic insemination” is the…
Neither courteous nor honest
“I loved your show.” Bob and I both had our mouths full of Roquefort and pears and sourdough croutons. We raced each other to…
Hotel oddity #8
Ever stay in a hotel that tried to make you feel guilty about using the amenities? The beautiful Excel Hotel Tokyu at Tokyo’s Haneda…
Hotel lobby luggage theft
o thanks, I’ll carry that bag myself,” Marianne Crossley said to the porter as she stepped out of the London black cab, “it’s too…
Pickpocket justice
RAILWAY RAJ With a firm grip on the patient’s big toe, the hospital orderly entered the police inspector’s office. He carried the full weight…
Street crime in Mumbai
While pickpocketing and bag snatching are said to be fairly common in Mumbai, Bob and I feel a visitor is less likely to become…
Eating in Mumbai
Eating Mumbai Bhel puri just might be my favorite Indian food. A snack commonly prepared and served on the street, you can find it…
Gas pump skimmers attached in 11 seconds
Breaking news from Las Vegas Metro’s Kim Thomas, the fraud cop featured in my story on credit card skimmers hidden in gas pumps. Detective…
Colaba Market: Technicolor Mumbai
Colaba Market, Mumbai, India 7:00 a.m. in the Colaba Market area, where life is lived outdoors as much as in. Residents were just beginning…
Mac history
These are the Mac laptops I never sold or gave away. Three are in current use. One is a backup. The others have occasionally…
More airport luggage theft
Imagine the post office delivering your mail to a big open heap, mixed with the envelopes and boxes of 300 strangers. The honor-based system…
Confronting muggers in Panama
ou look like a million dallahs,” the mugger leers at Bob Arno, his gold teeth glinting in the Panamanian sun. The dozen or so…
Theft on planes
Theft on Planes All this hearsay, lately, about pickpockets and theft on planes. Even a celebrity-son helped himself to sleeping passengers’ valuables. Pickpockets are…
Pickpockets in Durban, South Africa
“We do what you do,” Bob told the poker-faced pickpocket. “Same job.” Looking at his blank expression, it wasn’t clear that he understood. Perhaps…
How to smuggle diamonds
Intelligence was leaked: stolen diamonds were to be smuggled out of the country in the cast of a man with a broken limb. The…
Phone phishing
If you read this blog, you’re probably already security-conscious. But this reminder is worth repeating. Don’t trust anyone. Sorry. It’s a shame that’s what…
Hotel Oddity #7
What’s that spray bottle hanging in the closet of our Tokyo hotel room? It wears a gold necklace from which its explanation dangles. “Resesh”…