Pickpocket ploy

I was in France in September-October 2013 and would like to warn travelers about something that was occurring in both Paris and Toulouse.

Cute teenage girls who were smiling brightly, well groomed and wearing the typical teenage attire of tight jeans and neat tops were approaching tourists and asking, “Do you speak English?”

If someone answered that he did, they would ask if he was against world hunger, cruelty to animals or some other such issue. Of course, he would say that he WAS against such things.

They then would ask him to sign a petition. If he agreed, he would take the clipboard in one hand and a pencil in the other, and as he signed the paper, the cute young girls would attempt to pick his pockets!

I witnessed this on numerous occasions, particularly in the downtown shopping areas of Paris, such as in front of the Galeries Lafayette.

It seemed to me the best response was to ignore them, hold onto my belongings and walk briskly away.

PATSY BUSH-KRUSE

Rancho Mirage, CA