Beware of bag snatchers on motobikes in Luang Prabang

Sabaidee everyone.

I've been back in Luang Prabang for 3 weeks now and just want to caution people that there are indeed bag/purse snatchers now operating in Luang Prabang. A woman at the gh that I stay was riding a rented Thai LA one-speed bike along a quiet street when a man on a motobike snuck up behind her and snatched the bag that was in her front bike basket. She ended up losing quite a bit of cash and her digital camera. She was quite distraught when she arrived back at the gh. Another tourist's bag was found at the soccer field near Vat That Luang this morning.

If you're going to ride a bike then either wear your daypack or bag on your back or slung across your chest OR if you want to lay your bag in the bike basket at least get some of those small caribiners that serve as bottle openers or keychains and clip it to the mesh bike basket. That way the theives can't snatc it out of the basket so readily. But be preapred for a jolt if they do because it may throw you off balance while you're riding.

Also, it's always a good idea to lock your bike in a highly visible area.

This post has been removed because it may not have met our community guidelines.

Thanks Hanuman.....
its easy to get lulled in LPB.... I'lll be lulled but guarded... any thief who had designs on my sketchbag would have a thing or two coming ......

only 8 weeks till Laos ....mmmm.... anone round for a drink/party/dinner in early January?????

I had to chuckle at this one hanuman,
In Bagan i hired a bike and had my map and bottle of water in plastic bag, a Chinese honda with a pretty girl on it overtook me and grabbed the bag, as she did i grabbed her arm and she came off the motorbike and grazed her arm. She spoke some English, I threatened her with the police, but didn't have the heart to turn her in, just told her she should try something else more honest to earn a living, as she wasn't very good at bag snatching.
Attaching your bag to the wire mesh sounds good advice, but never leave valuables in it ie camera

I was in LP last week and was also warned to bring your bicycle into your hotel/GH at night as well. apparently there is a lot of bike theft and if you lose the bike, you're going to have to pay 50-75USD to the owner.

I might add. Don't keep valuables, like lots of money, in a pack anywhere. Where them under your clothes. I read on a travel blog about a woman in Luang Prabang tussling with a bag snatch while walking in front of her guest house. She had all her money and passport in her day pack and didn't want to let go.

I envy you Hanuman, enjoy.

That is unfortunate, lazy thief looking for an easy cash rather then honest earner like most of Luan Prabang residents. I wonder these thieves are having problem with drug?

Hope you enjoy LP Hanuman, I will not make it to LP until early March.

3 weeks - ahhhh.

Before our first trip together to SE Asia long ago, an experienced traveler told my wife and me, you can lose everything but your passport and money. We've carried both under our trousers every day, every trip since then. For me, the peace of mind far outweighs any other consideration.

Roll on, you mighty river!

bun cha

Hello again TT regulars. Sadly, yes LP has gone the way of most large tourists cities and it is indeed unforutnate that this is occuring. Nevertheless, overall, LP is still a safe town but as others have posted, it's very easy to let your guard down and to be completely trusting in a small town [which the well travelled Canadian woman did because she confessed that she would normally have not taken such risk but thought LP was safe enough to let her guard down]. So, please, take precautions.

PS--another item that also works well enough are those quick release straps IF you can loop the strap around your bag/purse and unto the frame. It's even easier than a carabiner to release but when looped several times around a frame, it prevents the quick snatch and run.

Yeh a good bit of advice "Hanuman"

My brother and his lady were riding near the chinese night market on their rented bike with the basket in front when a pair on another bike snatched her bag from the basket.
My Bro persued them to beat them to a pulp,but it got a bit hairy in the traffic, and up and down narrow alleys, so discontinued the pursuit.
Valuables and cash and credit cards were lost.
It took almost 2 days going fromm Govt dept to Gov dept to get a written report from the cops for insurance purposes being a Sunday when the incident happened.
I always use spring loaded clips to attach the bag to the basket or frame as you wisely suggested.
The Downtown area seems to be a lot safer re bagsnatching as there are cops on many corners that probably act as a detterent to these slime.

On thing "I Do Not" suggest you do is attach the bag to you body, either over your shoulder,on your chest or similar,as they may still make a try for the bag, and this may case you to come off the bike ,injurying or possible killing you, as does happen regulary in Malaysia where I read articles in the paper all the time about deaths and injuries involving bag snatching.

<blockquote>Quote
<hr>On thing "I Do Not" suggest you do is attach the bag to you body, either over your shoulder,on your chest or similar,as they may still make a try for the bag, and this may case you to come off the bike ,injurying or possible killing you, as does happen regulary in Malaysia where I read articles in the paper all the time about deaths and injuries involving bag snatching.<hr></blockquote>

wizeman--sorry that this also happened to your brother and his girlfriend.
humm, I don't know if purse/bag snatchers in LP are brazen enough to impose bodily inury [which I would assume the penalty would be considerably higher than property theft] if one were to wear a daypack on one's back [straps slung over each shoulder] or worn bike-messenger style. I would think the delinquents are seeking more easy prey via bike basket snatchings or bag slung over only one shoulder thefts. Still it's a sad statement that it's come to wanton bodily harm in Malaysia. Does this occur in KL or Penang or any specific cities/towns? Does anyone know if this [more physical form of theft] happens in Saigon or Phnom Penh?

As an aside, I rarely hear or read about such incidences in Siem Reap, Chiang Mai and Bangkok. I wonder if this is because the authorities impose harsher penalties or if they are more effective in someway in preventing such crimes? Or if the local population are more effective in catching the criminals?

Bag-snatching can happen anywhere - not just Laos, and not just Luang Prabang. In the United States, Canada, Australia, South Africa, you name it...

The biker should have used more common sense. If you leave something in your basket, or leave your bike unlocked - it just screams "Take me, please!". Put valuables in your backpack and wear it on your back. Put only water, bananas, etc, in your basket.

Just like you would in any other country.

Use common sense and you'll have a wonderful holiday.

Cheers