Pickpocket

Some guy tried to pickpocket me tonight in the red light district near the Anantara Hotel.

I felt something and turned, and this guy mumbled something and did a 180. It didn’t feel right, so I walked across the street and he was still standing there, actually looking at me.

I then noticed my bag was completely unzipped, but my wallet and passport were still there. I always try to keep my bag zipped so the zippers are down at the bottom, figuring this will make it easier to detect someone opening it since they will have to pull up. Maybe that saved me.

I looked back up and he was gone.

I stood around for about 20 minutes, texting about it with my wife, when I saw the guy come back.

So I called him out right on the street (stupid American bravado, I guess) and went to take a picture, when he got in my face and threatened me, so I just yelled back at him and he took off down the street.

Incidentally, no one seemed to care at all about what was going on.

This is when it gets weirder.

I go back to my hotel, but for some reason my card doesn’t work on the exterior door. I keep an extra card in a pocket on the interior of my bag.

I go to get it, but the pocket is open and there’s no card!

Wtf. Like that’s some serious skill, but I’m feeling fortunate because sometimes I keep my passport in that pocket.

So I go the hotel desk and they invalidate the card and give me a new one.

Anyhow, watch your belongings.