A crime victim contacted me and told me that he had taken the subway from Snyder Avenue to Center City to do some Christmas shopping a few days ago.
Getting off the subway car at the Walnut-Locust station, a young man entered the subway car and bumped into him. As he turned to look at the person who slammed into him, a second young man entering the subway car bumped into him from his other side.
It was not until he attempted to pay for an item at a store on Walnut Street that he reached into his back pants pocket to retrieve his wallet and discovered the wallet was no longer there.
It dawned on him that the two young men who jostled him had lifted his wallet. He was furious that he was robbed and although his wallet held little cash, it did hold several of his credit cards.
Unable to now go Christmas shopping, he called his wife and asked her to drive into Center City and pick him up. Once home, he got on the phone and contacted the credit card companies and canceled the stolen cards.
The grinch pickpockets ruined his day of shopping, as well as his holiday merry mood, but thankfully his wife had credit cards they could use for Christmas shopping until he received his new credit cards.
A pickpocket is defined by Jay Robert Nash’s “Dictionary of Crime” as a thief who is an expert at stealing valuables from purses and pockets without force, usually in crowds where his movements will not be noticed and he can get away quickly.
Like the pickpocketed victim who contacted me, thousands of passengers will take SEPTA to go shopping during this holiday season, in addition to the thousands more who routinely take SEPTA to work every day.
Ensuring the security and safety of passengers on SEPTA’s buses, subway cars, trains and stations are the responsibility of the SEPTA Transit Police Officers. They are responsible for policing the entire regional SEPTA system, covering an area of five Pennsylvania counties — Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia — as well as three states — Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
According to SEPTA, nearly 250 sworn officers serve and protect within the 2,200 square-mile SEPTA service area. There are three patrol districts, allowing officers to easily respond to emergencies while empowering them to quickly make decisions and address local issues.
The Transit Police Department extends beyond the regular beat with units of specially trained officers. These units receive an additional level of training and provide specialized support in policing a public transit system.
I recall meeting with a SEPTA Transit Police officer some years ago. The officer, Lisa Manzano, then-an eleven-year SEPTA police veteran, spoke about crime.
“Don’t look like you need help or you’re distracted,” Manzano advised. “Criminals always pick on people who look vulnerable. If you appear confident, it will make a big difference.”
Manzano spoke of eight things pickpockets don’t want you to know.
“The first tip is never display money in a crowd. The second thing is to immediately check your wallet or purse when you are jostled in a crowd.”
The third tip is to beware of loud arguments and commotions aboard SEPTA vehicles or station platforms. Manzano said that many times these incidents are staged to distract you while your pocket is being picked.
The fourth tip that pickpockets don’t want you to know is that women should carry their handbags under their arms with the clasp towards their bodies. Never let it dangle by the handle. Keep your handbag with you at all times and always keep it closed. Never place your handbag on the seat beside you.
The fifth tip is that men should carry their wallet in their inside coat pocket or side pants pocket, and never in the rear pants pocket.
“Never wear necklaces, gold chains or other jewelry in plain view is the sixth tip,” Manzano said. “And the seventh tip is to call out immediately if you find that your pocket has been picked. Let the SEPTA operator and your fellow passengers know there is a pickpocket on the vehicle.”
The eighth thing that pickpockets don’t want you to know is the SEPTA emergency telephone number, which is 215-580-8111. If you suspect pickpockets are at work on a particular transit route or subway station, call the emergency number, which is monitored 24-hours-a-day.
“Pickpockets are very good and clever. They know how the system works,” Manzano said. “We’ve been working on the pickpocket problem since day one.”
“If there are a lot of people shopping or coming back and forth from the check cashing places, or the banks, the pickpockets will be there. It could be a young person or an older person, a male or female team, or one person dressed in business attire and the other dressed casually.”
So be on guard for grinch pickpockets who are out to rob you and ruin your holiday season.
