Bag snatch at the outdoor café

Bags in danger at an outdoor café
Bags in danger at an outdoor café

What’s more charming than a leisurely break at an outdoor café? Coffee, a beer, a glass of wine, maybe lunch… You chat with friends and watch the people-parade, safe within the lush green walls separating you from the commotion and concerns of traffic and humanity. A cool oasis with a feeling of privacy and exclusivity—at least to some level.

Bags in danger of being snagged at an outdoor café
Bags in danger of being snagged at an outdoor café

This is where a great number of bag thefts occur, thanks to that false sense of security one naturally gets from the perimeter of potted plants. Thieves may use a special tool or a mangled wire hanger to snag a purse or backpack from between the planters. The use of a tool allows them to pierce your private sphere without setting off your personal alarm system. The most popular sites for this M.O. are right beside a subway entrance or other easy getaway—a gateway to disappear with the swag.

Café plants with chicken wire
Café plants with chicken wire

Thankfully, restaurants are beginning to counteract with simple preventative measures. This summer I’ve noticed many café perimeters reinforced with wooden lathing, chicken wire, or bigger planters close together.

An outdoor café with a little more protection from bag snatchers
An outdoor café with a little more protection from bag snatchers

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4 Comments

  1. […] behind the planters might not be noticed. He could simply reach through the “wall,” possibly with the aid of a crude hook, snag the bag, and disappear into the […]

  2. Thank you so much for this site and all the tips and articles!

  3. the use of the wire is very very clever


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