Theft & Pickpocketing, Kuala Lumpur

Be very careful of pickpockets while in crowded places or on public transport. I was recetly pickpocketed in KL Sentral. I was on my way to LCCT by shuttle bus. Between the time I bought the ticket and placing my luggage in the bus luggage compartment and getting on the bus I had my wallet lifted. A friend of mine has his mobile phone stolen on the LRT. The modus operandi of the crooks is to look out for travellers. Travellers with backpacks are a prime target. They are very visible, tired and distracted in a new city. They watch for where you put your wallet/phone/valuables after using and then proceed to lift your possesions. The work solo or in groups and use divertionary tactics to distract victims. This includes spitting on your clothes, dropping coins or feigining arguement or fights.

In public transport, move immediately to a corner or a wall. Watch your belongings. Keep them in one place so you do not need to watch multiple items. Place valuables in buttoned/zippered pockets/cases. Use a dummy wallet with small amounts of money.

Be careful when you going to any shopping mall, there are group of chinese youngter come and approch you for free prizes if you scratch the coupon, no matter what you will win electronic prizes worth more USD4000 or RM10000. The trick is that you have to purchase their product worth RM1000 (which actual cost is only RM200) and you have to pay another RM5000 to collect your prizes worth RM10000 (actually the product only worth RM3000). So be careful if any local group of chinese youngter approach you at shopping mall or car park area.

My first visit to KL for fifteen years, and it has changed for the worse. I traveled alone on the Mono Rail, when I tried to get off a drunk type male person, kept getting in front of me, stopping me getting off when the doors opened, the next minute another person came close on my other side, then the drunk type, came to life and strode off down the platform, it was only till I looked down on my shorts pocket, I realized they had stolen my wallet, which was even zipped and buttoned down, the police told me that illegals from the PHILIPPINES, where working in gangs on the mono rail, and that many reports where made about the same type of incident as mine, although it is said security guards are on the platform, this was not so on the station I was robbed, on the journey home with Emirates, the cabin staff told me that on any stopover in KL, they are warned not to use the mono rail due to thefts etc, to late for me to find out, so please be careful, its not a nice thing to happen, and this was first time in all my travels, this has happened to me!

when shopping in petaling street, take good care of your personal belongings. don't lose sight of your bags and other things. a local warned me about this because some pickpockets roam around the area.

also, when you want to buy things, its good to haggle, haggle and haggle some more but be really really sure you're going to buy those things because you don't want to be in trouble. they'll get angry if you ask for discount and then not buy the item.

Was a victim of pickpocketing at Petaling street/Chinatown. A woman (plump Malay carrying a big haversack) bumped into me n walked on slowly. Did not immed suspect (big mistake) but instinct told me to check my bag. Realised my digicam was missing, n still went to check inner compartment thou i was quite sure i put it in outer compartment. Called out to my friend just a dist away n then saw a slit in my bag. Fren then said a woman brushed past her leg n picked up sth black (my cam pouch), but it was at night n she din see properly either. Moreover the woman's bag was open, so she assumed the woman dropped the thing. Overall a bad incident that could have been avoided but we were both too stunned.

Points to note that will make u less susceptible to pickpocketers:
1. Pickpocketters are usu NOT SOLO. The one that bumped into me IS NOT THE SAME ONE as the one that picked up the cam, cause me and my friend saw different women walking away in different directions. the former can walk away casually cuz she is NOT THE ONE with ur stuff!
2. DO NOT carry a cloth bag that can be easily slit (i was carrying lesportsac, dumb)
3. BEST DO NOT carry a bag at all. Stuff money, phone etc in ur pockets (tight around your legs). Bring MINIMAL
4. Beware of ANYONE that bumps into you or distracts you
6. DO NOT be alone at any point of time
7. Wear plain n conservative (tees n berms or jeans)
8. Never go after your shopping trip elsewhere. Chinatown at night has good atmosphere n bargains but go after a trip to the hotel to set down ur things
9. scream if ur instint tells u to! sounds dumb, but better be safe than sorry. the pickpocketers may be taken aback n drop the stuff or try to run, which we'll know to give chase. of course, if u meet a guy pickpocketer, not so wise. Afterall ur life is more important.

This is not meant to deter you from going Chinatown, but just be extra careful..i'm sadder at the loss of my photos stored inside than the loss of the camera! dun let it happen to u!

Handbag snatchers are quite rampant now. These petty criminals are getting more braver all the time. Usually, they operate in pairs, and mostly on fast speeding motorbikes; the driver will speed by very fast and the second guy will grab, viciously tug and even push the handbag owners. A few of the victims ended-up in hospitals. Usually the whole thing would happen so fast that no-one had time to re-act.

So, to all ladies, there is no point carrying and walking around on the streets with fancy beautiful handbags. Be extra careful when you carry a bagpack.

The biggest ( and invariably most crowded ) bus terminal, located in the city centre near Chinatown. Beware of pickpockets, ticket touts and other undesirables, especially late at night.

You're unlikely to be a victim of violent crime in KL, but pickpockets are common and bag snatching is on the rise. Keep a close eye on your valuables in crowds, especially street markets and public transport, and hold your bag on the side away from the street if there are motorbikes around.

Malaysian law requires that visitors carry their passport at all times, and both police and "Rela" volunteers carry out spot checks for illegal immigrants.