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Foreign pickpockets strike on bus: They cut pants to steal money from wallet STOMPer Kim Soon was a victim of a pickpocketing incident on Friday morning. He said a foreign commuter pretended to sleep beside him on the bus but later the STOMPer found his pants had been cut and money stolen from his wallet. Said the STOMPer: "This incident happened to me on Friday, around 9.40am. "Two men, who looked like they are from northern China, boarded bus 62 around Aljunied Road. Both are big-sized, about 1.75m in height. "They look in their 40s, with one sporting a shaved head and carrying a black sling bag. He sat beside me on the bus. "I did not feel them cutting my pants, but when the guy leaned against me to sleep, I could feel some body contact. "However, I was preoccupied with my thoughts and I was listening to music. "I only realised my pants had been cut and my money taken after they alighted from the bus. "As the bus is a loop service, they boarded the bus from the bus stop opposite about 20 minutes later, at 10.10am. "I recognised them and enlisted the help of the bus driver to close the doors so they would be unable to escape, but they got away before the doors closed. "I lodged a police report, but the bus does not have a CCTV camera installed as it is one of the older buses." The STOMPer described in an email: "Beware that there is a group of pickpocket crooks from China targeting passengers of single deck buses. "They will sit beside a passenger, whose wallet is placed at the back of the pants. "Then, they will lean with their shoulder agaist the seat and their back facing the targeted passenger. "While pretending to be asleep, these crooks will start using sharp object to cut the pants of the passenger and take the cash out from the wallet. "The whole process is done without taking out the wallet. "Thus, the passenger will not be aware that his valuables are being stolen! "Once the crooks get the cash, they will alight the bus immediately. "These crooks should be operating in pair and they speak in China accents. "One is doing the stealing and another one is sitting somewhere in the bus as a watchdog. "Be very careful and alert when someone is sitting beside you with his back facing you in a bus!"

Hey fellas, I will be travelling to Europe at end Nov and will be heading to Italy. Frens & colls told me that there are alot of professional pickpockets at Europe who could easily slit jeans pocket and steal $$ without you knowing it. Are those waist pouch that tucked under the clothing feasible ? Any good advise ?

Not sure how true it is. Push pocket in KL I am sure you all have heard of "pick pocket". A new trend "push pocket". Read on.. for your own good A few days ago a new type of crime has surfaced in town. It goes something like this:- Somebody slips a hand-phone into your pocket, sometimes it could be just a wallet with an identity card and a few ringgit. A few minutes later, the 'owner' comes up and confronts you, the 'thief '. He makes a big commotion that you stole his stuff. You, caught unaware, are then pulled aside by the 'owner' for a settlement you are intimidated and threatened that if you do not pay up the police will be brought in. If you pay up, this 'owner' lets you go. If not, the police are brought in. Another strange thing is that there always seems to be a 'witness' to the your 'theft'. I am told this often happens to foreigners at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) or even at LRT trains. Given that you're 'guilty until proven innocent' as far as the Malaysian police are concerned, I understand some poor people are in jail for these 'offences'. At the KLIA, the 'owner' throws his hand-phone and wallet with the few ringgit notes into the luggage trolley of a just arrived passenger. The drama unfolds a few minutes later. The real culprit has easily convinced our Malaysian police to arrest the real victim (if he has not paid up the 'settlement' demand). This is a very serious matter. This is another form of extortionists operating in broad daylight. They are disgusting criminals who will do anything to rob and steal. The sickening part of the whole scenario is that unless you pay the "quoted settlement" money, they will put you in real trouble by calling the police.. The real culprit gets back his hand-phone and wallet but the real victim ( i.e. could be any one of us) is thrown into the police lock up and charged in court. So do be very careful, otherwise you may end up as a "thief" as you have no way to prove your innocence. Pass it on..... let more people be aware of such things around them. Geh Cheng Lok & Co,Advocates & Solicitors, No.20, King Street (Top Floor),10200 Penang , Malaysia.Tel. No: 604-2617464 Fax. No: 604-2611840