Theft and Pickpocketing, Kuala Lumpur

Me and six of my friends were walking back from the Petronas CountDown to year 2009. Somewhere between Pavilion and McDonalds in Bukit Bintang I got a call from my dad and I started talking to him. To listen to the call I started walking behind my friends. The road was crowded heavily and a lot police mobiles were also there. In a blink of an eye a guy came from behind, took my wallet (I still dont know how), snatched my mobile and ran. I ran after him on the main road for a while and then into a street. At the street entrance a lot of guys (about 20) were sitting and gossiping and as I crossed them they all followed me screaming "catch the thief, thief...". The thief dropped my mobile, I slowed down, and those 20 or 30 or some like that caught me and started hitting me with rods and boards and whatever they found or had. In a few moments my friends (who luckily heard my scream and saw me running behind a guy) dropped in and tired to cool down the situation. Two or three guys among them showed the guns to my friends and ran. And believe me the police was looking at whatever was happening and could do a thing.

Unique Suggestions: First preventive action could be not go stay out late.
Secondly try not to expose expensive belongings to the crowd.
Thirdly if a belonging is snatched never try to be heroic and follow him. Let it go

My stay of four months has got me an experience that you are niether safe on the roads nor at home in Kuala Lumpur... There are too many thiefs.

You need to be aware of the fares of Taxi, otherwise you can be charged as much as three times the normal price by them. Police is not at all courteous or helpful if you need help, they will be biased in favour of their nationals...

Never give advance to any individual for any thing he will run away....

Unique Suggestions: Never carry too much cash, credit cards or atm cards while on road...

Fun Alternatives: Only carry the amount you need for a certain trip or visit to a particular place.

A friend of mine told me that do not walk alone along the bukit bintang street. there were many stranger peoples as well as snatchers!!!!! (some of them are dress nicely and they are not look alike as a snatcher).
Other than that you also should beware if you walk on the wayside because, some of the snatchers riding motorcycles and they can snatch your bag deliberately!!!

So, make sure that you hold your bag tighly!!!

This also happened along the p.ramli street as well as ZOUC area!!!
their target is woman!!!!!

Unique Suggestions: HOLD YOUR BAG TIGHTLY AND MAKE SURE YOU ARE NOT WAERING ANY JEWELERS WHICH CAN ATTRACT SNATCHERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fun Alternatives: TO PREVENT SNATCHERS, IT WILL BE BETTER IF YOU ARE USING LRT, MONORAIL, OR KTM!!!

THOSE TRANSPORTAIONS ARE THE BESSSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!

I happend to finish my strolling around low yat plaza for it products, when a couple with
a boy child around 12 years approached me and asked me to help with their shopping
ideas for goods which would be cheaper in my country.seeing the man with family and
feeling safe, I continued my talks,(His accent was like a middle east man)and he also showed me his big purse with Fresh USD 100
currency bundle and said that he was carrying enough money and would be visiting my country the following week,suddenly he told me that his friends had informed that light
brown coloured us currencies was only being accepted in my country, when I replied in negative he asked me to show the currency I was carrying, with great relucatance I
just removed and showed the currency all the while holding it in my hand,within split seconds
he snatched and within a few second I snatched it back, and being distracted and tired and
wanting to go back to hotel, went back to hotel ,but something in my mind was bothering me
and when I chekced my currency, I found I was ripped to tune of 840 Usd,It still baffles me
how it happend, but I was sure of being ripped, since every day morning I normally finish my
account?within 25 minutes I was back at Police point near plaza,Should appriciate the
police as they immediately sent me with escort in a car to Tourist Police office and noted
my complaint and also made spot inspection and also took me around the place where I they
felt the con couple may be strolling,but no avail.But they showed me the photographs and
I could identify the lady and the boy child.To cap it all that evening after my complaint when
I was being investigated, walked in a couple who were conned by the same family.
Police helpfull .Con family not definetely malayasians but foriegners

Unique Suggestions: Please do not belive in anybody trying to talk to you about money and behaving to be
visiting your country shortly, it looks like they can identify your origin and convince you that
your are safe as they are from big family and things like that.Never ever show your currency
as they can snatch and also give you back in front of your eyes,they have the trick by which
they can make you feel that they have returned all your money, but belive me they would
still have ripped you

Fun Alternatives: Human relationship is must,but being carefull is better, carrying plastic money makes more
sense.Carry only the money that you need for essential expenses and small emergency
requirements.

Firstly, I should say it's common but its quite rare. It still takes good planning and luck for crime to succeed. And Malaysians are a nation who demands safety.

From petty thefts to big scale robberies, sadly it does happen here too. Commonly to happen to tourists are encountering:
con-men/con-women/con-kids/con-old ladies,
pick pockets
snatch theft
transportation overcharge (please see transportation tips)

Unique Suggestions: CON ARTIST:
One of the worse bad guys around. Very professional. I can only be really frank with you. You dont need to be TOO friendly. Chatting is harmless, but if it involves revealing information such as which's your room and what about your money, better cut-off the conversation.
To be safe, you can politely excuse yourself by telling that you have got to rush, bye. Or if unfortunately things get a bit too deep & had a grab onto you, get angry if you must, talk loud, get attention and hope they will let you go, and run off.
I think, should be the tourist who'd approach a local to ask for general assistance like "where do I" and "how do I", and perhaps "why is it". It's too good to be true for someone, a cute harmless old lady even, at a shopping mall or from the street to be asking you to have lunch/tea with/on her/him. It's also not quite a Malaysian thing for a harmless Malaysian to be telling a tourist they just met about their family stories. Definitely not decently Malaysian to be asking a tourist to follow him home to settle some family matters. When locals need help, we have family & friends, if not then community organisations/the government etc. Why tourists? & think about this, locals need to be careful with con-tourists too, so how friendly can we get?

THEFT/ROBBERY
For prevention, the trick is to NOT be an easy prey.
Try not to inconvenient yourself by carrying/wearing too heavy too much.
Try not expose your belongings too much. Crowded places being strategic for pickpocketting, spacious places for snatch theft.
Try not get distracted while you are walking; like talking on the phone while you are carrying loads and walking/crossing a street. Walk and stay cautious of your surrounding. If you need to do something like search into your bag or talk on your mobile, go to a wall or corner where you can be in easier view of anyone who might approach you while you are on your search/mobile.
Try to avoid being at dark lonely places.

To protect life, if the unfortunate does happen, let go of belongings.

Beware of pocket pickers around Pudu Bus Station. It supposed to be the busiest bus station in Malaysia but also one of the worst. Hot, sticky and non air-con. There are news talking about moving the central bus station to a new place.

Be aware of your purses and pockets. A few people I know got robbed while in China Town. Just as long as you know about it and are aware of the danger you should be ok. They were not mugged but purses where snatched and pockets picked. Do not flash your money around. It will only get you in trouble.