1

I met a traveller here who told me how he was mugged and pickpockted twice in Nevsky Prospect and again the following day around Nevsky Prospect metro.
This must be a very stupid person. Pickpocketed once, ok, can happen to everyone, but twice and even a third time the day after.... He must be waving with his cash everywhere he went...

Yes, be aware of pickpocketers in St. Petersburg, but not more than for example in Amsterdam. Just put your cash somewhere safe and you'll be allright.

Matthijs

2

St. Petersburg was the only place I have visited where I have been almost succesfully pickpocketed - I have literally caught the thieve's hand that was in my pocket. This was while getting on a bus in Peterhof. Must admit it was 6 or 7 years ago though, so things might have changed since then.

3

There are certainly are pickpockets in St. Petersburg, just like in any other large European cities. They operate mostly in the city center where there are many tourists, who are the obvious targets. Use your common sense - don't flash your money or valuables. Put your money and the documents into the inside pockets.

4

In Petersburg pickpockets seem to be most common on Nevsky Prospekt, the street, the bus rute and the metro route. Friends and I have speculated that there is a family of gypsies who have established themselves in this area for years.

Ruth

5

lol that sucks! I feel sorry for that guy.

Good luck! If anything, just keep your hands in your pocket and thatll cut the risk. Or put your stuff in a bag and have it locked.

6

I lived in Saint Petersburg for several months and never had a problem, although I may have just been lucky. However, I did know two other girls who were victims of thieves - one had her camera stolen from her bag as she turned the corner off of Nevsky, and the other had her purse stolen in a restaurant on Nevsky. The first girl had just finished putting her camera into her bag and closing her purse, and literally only about 1 minute later, she turned the corner to discover the camera was gone. She was partly annoyed at the loss of her camera, but partly impressed with the skill it took to rob her....:-)

The other girl left her bag on the back of a chair, and somebody wandered off with it.

I'd echo everybody else's comments - don't flash your valuables around, keep an eye on your personal belongings and try to be aware of your surroundings. If you are standing watching a street performer, be especially careful with your stuff. I think, like thieves everywhere, they wait until you are otherwise occupied and then take your stuff.

7

I lived in SPb for years, and never faced this problem. Just be careful (like in other big cities), don't be absent-minded in Metro, and everything will be okay.