Here’s a theft that every backpacker or bus-taking traveler should know about. This robbery took place on a bus in South America. However, the location is moot; this theft could easily happen anywhere. The items stolen could have been anything as well.
As my friend describes: A gang of three or four persons was involved. It happened on the bus at night and they worked as a team to distract me. They even played acting roles, fake bus employees, passengers. They had the routine down. It was a switch-a-roo trick. They switched his daypack for a stand-in pack.
I post this because the more scams for theft that every backpacker knows about, the fewer chances such a theft, such a con, such a robbery, will happen to you. If you read about this robbery, con, theft, scam here, please tell your traveling friends. Get the word out that this kind of robbery, con, theft, or scam can happen. I thought of not posting this robbery con trick so I don’t help give out ideas, but I think it is best to let all travelers, all backpacker know of this way they can be robbed, have things stolen.
Deb’s Travel Tip: Do something to customize your packs in a major way. Get to a fabric store and cut the fabric and sew unique patches onto your pack on all sides. Buy flags of favorite countries and sew them on. Less effective, but may be helpful would be to get handing dongles and put them on your pull tabs. Just make your pack unique!