Body awareness training.(body wise)

Myth: Pickpockets are petty, unskilled criminals.

Fact: They're master snatchers who can nab your wallet in about four seconds, according to Cedric Mitchell Sr., a Washington, D.C., metro transit detective. And many make a nice living doing so. "I know of one who put three kids through college with the money he stole," Mitchell says. But that cash doesn't have to come out of your pocket. We asked Mitchell for the best ways to make yourself an unlikely target.

* Bag Move

Hold your handbag as close to your body as possible, and keep at least one hand resting on top of it (consider a purse with a short strap, so it tucks neatly under your arm). Or choose a deep bag with a secure clasp or zipper, and make sure you close it all the way every time; also carry it in front of your body, not draped over one shoulder and falling by your hip. Keep cash and cards at the bottom of your purse, because "a pickpocket wants to be able to grab your wallet using two fingers," Mitchell says. That may seem like an obvious precaution, but according to a 2003 FBI bulletin, most pickpocket victims (the majority of whom were female) in railroad stations had their wallets exposed ...