Welcome to NRW for UEFA EURO 2024: fans from many different nations will be coming to North Rhine-Westphalia from June 14 to July 14. There, they will watch their team's matches live in the stadium or at one of the many public viewing events in Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Gelsenkirchen or Cologne.
Beware of pickpockets
The stadiums will be full, as will the public viewing areas. It can quickly happen that your cell phone or wallet is suddenly gone. Because where many people come together, pickpockets are not far away. A brief distraction or a jostle is often enough and they are successful.
The victims usually only discover the loss when they want to buy a drink or a bratwurst in the stadium after arriving at the stadium, for example. Then the planned soccer party quickly turns into soccer frustration - regardless of whether their own team wins or loses.
Various tricks
Take special care of your valuables when traveling to a game, in the stadium or at a public viewing. Jostling, jostling or distracting are particularly popular tricks used by pickpockets. For example, they may show you a special soccer trick outside the stadium and get very close to you. Or they hug their victims while they celebrate a goal. These diversionary maneuvers are brief, but are enough for the pickpockets.
Here are some tips you should follow to avoid becoming a victim of pickpocketing:
- Always keep an eye on your personal belongings and keep your bags closed.
- Never put your smartphone or wallet loose in your jacket or trouser pocket.
- Carry handbags and shoulder bags closed on the front of your body or tuck them under your arm.
- Always carry valuables such as money, payment cards or ID documents in various closed inside pockets of your clothing.
- It is best to use a breast pouch, an inner belt pocket, a money belt or a wallet chained to your belt.
- Only take as much cash and payment cards with you as necessary.
- Be particularly attentive in the crowds at the stadium or public viewing entrance, at the food and drink stands or at the toilets and watch out for suspicious behavior.
- Never write down the four-digit PIN of debit or credit cards or cell phones, but learn them by heart.
More tips and information on the internet
On the websites of the NRW police and the state and federal police crime prevention agencies, you will find further prevention tips, information on the individual scams of pickpockets as well as flyers and information leaflets to download:
https://www.polizei-beratung.de/themen-und-tipps/diebstahl/taschendiebstahl/