Warning: "Los Ladrones"

Day 14

PICK A POCKET (OR TWO)

For anyone travelling in South America, I imagine the following story is not a new one: an organised theft aimed at distracting the unaware tourist. However, I hope that anyone reading this can avoid the incident that happened to me.

We were in the old part of Quito, "Centro Historico", which is awash with colonial buildings, churches, squares and souvenir stores. At the same time the old town is a thriving commercial hub that draws crowds of shoppers from across all of Quito. Being a big tourist attraction the area is well-known for theft.

I had heard of stories of theft on the streets of La Paz whereby muck of some sort Is dropped onto the bags or clothings of travellers, with people on hand to "clear-up" the mess, only with the intention of pocketing a valuable item.

On this occasion I can recognise the mistakes on my part, that led to the theft of my camera, so please don't make the mistakes I did:

1. I chose to look around the old town alone, when up till now Eva and I had travelled together throughout
2. I had my camera on show hanging to my side
3. I walked to the Plaza San Francisco and observed the view of the square with a thoroughfare behind me
4. I noticed a man walk past behind me and heard a splat of some sort - (afterwards I realise that he had poured a yellow liquid onto my bag and back) that had the same smell as bird poo
5. A second man approached me and pointed out that I had muck on me, and had tissues at hand
6. He directed me into the church, saying that I could clean up inside
7. I followed him with a sense that he may not be genuine
8. Once I put my bag and camera down on a stand in the church, he distracted my attention to cleaning the muck, and once he had my eyes turned away he took the camera and fled the church
9. On realisation I went to exit the church, but was met with two other men waving their hands and saying the thief had passed back into the church, which I soon realised was a means of delaying me so that the thief could escape to a side street

Only a while later, on a crowded bus not far from the city centre, a pickpocket goes unnoticed - until the traveller feels down for his mobile phone to find an unzipped pocket in his trouser leg.

For anyone travelling in Quito it is well worth either:

- not taking valuables out with you unless you have to

- keeping valuables hidden or somewhere that cannot be accessed from the outside

- travelling together and being aware of the people around you

Thanks to these two incidents I will learn to be more careful and aware when out an about, but at the same time my trust of the people I meet is not diminished.

Safe travels

Tom