Protection against pickpockets: Police starts action in Oberhausen!

Protection against pickpockets: Police starts action in Oberhausen!

On October 6, 2025, once again, it shows how important prevention is in everyday life. Just two days earlier, on October 4, a 71-year-old woman was the victim of a pickpocket in the Bero-Center in Oberhausen. The senior woman was traveling with her granddaughter when the unknown stole the wallet and the mobile phone out of her backpack. This incident makes it clear that pickpocketing can run unnoticed even in calm moments. As of today, the Oberhausen police start a nationwide week of action that is aimed specifically against pickpockets. The aim of this campaign is to sensitize older people in particular about the tricks of pickpockets and to give them helpful protective measures.

As part of the campaign week, an information stand will be set up in Oberhausen city center on Tuesday, October 7, at which police officers and senior security consultants will provide extensive information and tips. In addition, another information date will take place on Saturday, October 11, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the “Alt is colorful”. On this day, the consultants are available for questions and special stripes will patrol on site.

Prevention by clarification

The campaign aims to raise awareness of pickpockets. A police crime statistics for 2024 shows that 107,720 cases of pickpockets were displayed in Germany. The total damage was around 52.4 million euros. This shows that pickpocketing, in addition to bicycle thefts and property damage, are among the most common offenses in public space. Only 6.9 percent of these acts could be informed, since many victims often do not immediately notice that they were stolen.

The police give various recommendations to protect themselves from pickpocketing. So only necessary valuables should be taken and large cash sums should be left at home. Valances such as wallets and cell phones should be kept inside pockets or lockable subjects. It makes sense to always wear bags closed and close to the body, especially in crowds. Backpacks should be carried forward in such situations to keep an eye on them. Another important point is to pay attention to distraction maneuvers, as many pickpockets work in the team and act with various tricks.

The tricks of the pickpockets

Pockets use a variety of methods to distract their victims. The common tricks include:

• Blumen-Trick: Täter umarmen das Opfer oder stecken ihm eine Blume an, während sie die Brieftasche stehlen.
• Rempel-Trick: Täter rempeln ihre Opfer an oder arbeiten mit Komplizen zusammen, um abzulenken und zu stehlen.
• Einkaufswagen-Trick: Täter fragen im Supermarkt nach Waren und entwenden während der Ablenkung die Tasche am Einkaufswagen.

This procedure illustrates how important it is to be vigilant and to be clear about the possible tricks of the perpetrators. After all, it can affect everyone, even if you think you are attentive.

The renowned website police-beratung.de summarizes that comprehensive information and preventive measures are the key to avoiding pickpockets. Therefore, every citizen should be open to the police information and use such opportunities for clarification.

Ultimately, it is up to all of us to go through life with a waxed eye. Let's make our environment and ourselves a bit safer!