* Use traveler's checks and credit cards instead of cash whenever possible. Take only those credit cards you need.
    * Carry a purse close to your body, not dangling by the straps. Carry a wallet in an inside coat or from trouser pocket. Better still, wear a money pouch underneath your clothing.
    * Be alert for pickpockets in crowded areas like airline, bus and train terminals, major tourist attractions and public transportation.
    * Don't look distracted or lost. Walk confidently and stay alert to what's happening around you.
    * Stay alert for staged mishaps, like someone bumping into you or spilling a drink, a stranger offering to snap a family photo or a pedestrian jumping in front of the car and falling so you leap out to investigate.

Before You Go

    * Plan ahead. If you're traveling by car, get maps and plan your route. Have the car and tires checked out before you leave.
    * Leave copies of the numbers of your passport, driver's license, credit cards and traveler's checks with a friend in case you need to replace them.
    * Put lights and a radio on timers to create the illusion that someone is at home when you go away. Leave shades, blinds and curtains in normal positions. Stop the mail and newspapers or ask a neighbor to take them in.

Once You're There

    * When you check into a hotel or motel, check out the locks. Look for deadbolts or solid doors with peepholes. FYI... the new coded electronic cards are safer than ordinary key locks.
    * Be sure your luggage is locked. Keep it close to you at — all times.
    * Keep valuable in a hotel safe or safe deposit box. Better still, leave them at home.
    * Ask the hotel staff or police about the neighborhood's safety and what areas to avoid.
    * Place a portable motion sensor or door alarm on your hotel door
    * Lock belongings in your suitcase or keep them out of sight.
    * Don't display guest room keys in public or carelessly leave them on restaurant tables, at the swimming pool, or other places where they can be easily stolen.

Immediately report any crime to the police.

Provided by:
National Crime Prevention Council