I have heard about this guy a lot. I was sitting at La Terrace with a friend last week and a guy pretended he was mute and deaf and wanted me to sign his petition for something and tried distracting us and at the same time picked up my phone under the petition. Luckily I am well aware of the numerous pickpockets in Geneva and put my hand under and grabbed my phone back. But nearly every one of my friends has been robbed here at least once and I have watched it happen.

I think anytime someone gets closer to you than normal in Geneva you should be suspicious.This city is rampent with thieves!

This is common nowadays here in geneva. if someone ask for the time, just ignore them, if they play that soccer stuff with you push them away.

What is soccer?

Non American football

By the way Thomas I appreciate that being Dutch you might not want to be reminded about the game of soccer. We english are used to such disasters

Not really a new way...   they tried it with me 3 years ago....  

also be careful if you wear necklace. they can try to grab it and run....

Yes I think it wouldn`t be appropriate or maybe even smart to use this scam on Dutch people at the moment..

Just resurrecting this thread as a guy tried to pickpocket me near the Gare this morning at 4am.. I was evidently a bit tipsy, and he put his arm around me like I was his best mate and his other hand went towards my sporren (I had my kilt on for halloween).. luckily I pushed him away from me, but as I crossed the road I realised what he had just tried to do and I threw a few expletives in his direction.. 

I see a colleague who was at a dinner and a man did the same, holding her hand, and stole her watch. She didnt know until 5 minutes later, she was really upset adn shocked because she didnt feel a thing. They are really good.

With another colleague during lunch, we were approached by a man, just about 2 meters in front of us, he pretend the found a gold ring on the ground, just in front of you and ask if you dropped it, just avoid anything that is unusual.

Best is keep a distance from anyone you dont know.

Also be aware when you are driving and someone asks for directions. Someone's bag was stolen from the back seat while she was busy giving directions to the guy who had stopped her.

Another friend had someone stopping her car and pointing to something on the ground, she immediately got off and wanted to see whats on the road and in the meantime another person went and took her bag from the car. Both these incidents happened in the center of Geneva.

I had my watch stolen by a similar tactic when I was a little tipsy. Be careful with your insurance if you have expensive items - you will need an upgrade to cover theft outside your house and then to list every item individually over 2000 chf in value. I am insured with Allianz and they have been absolutely useless and have really given me the run around and wont cover the full value of my stolen watch.

In a city as rife with crime as this I'd make sure you are protected.

be aware of some "red spots": near the "Usine", bars and discos, the old town, especially on week-ends, some people come from other countries only to steal, robb and attack young people coming out of bars and discos, train station, and even in the airport,so, be careful:

don't use your phones outside, put money and valuables under your clothes and not in a wallet! these people will try to approach with :"Do you have a match?" or else.....

Geneva ! 

Where was the police? seems like they were busy in rescuing the kittens on the lake.

Happened also to me at the cornavin station... I have been lucky as someone warned me about what this guy was trying to do... I I pushed him... his hand was already in my back pocket...

So just reminder to everyone, the sun is out and we know the Pickpockets arrive in droves.

Tell all your tourist friends to keep their bags under feet and arms.

Wallets in your front pockets.

So beware & watch eachoters backs and purses.

And also beware the pea in shell or ball in cups game... its a short con.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shell_game

Charlie, my 'Teamwork poster' was refering directly to this, but anyone at a bar or restaurant, keep everythnig under 'arms and feet. Especially in Paquis and Junction. Even the best dresses people are infact 'Pickpockets'.

they are very successful in Geneva.

 NEVER LEAVE A BAG OR SUITCASES IN THE CAR....NEVER THOUGHT IT WILL HAPPEN TO ME BUT IT DID AT SIX IN THE AFTERNOON BY THE LAKE QUAI GUSTAVE ADOR JUST LEFT THE CAR FOR ONE HOUR FOR A PIZZA AND CAME BACK THE WINDOW WAS SMASHED ...THE GOOD SUPRISE SOMEONE CALLED ME TO PUCKUP THE BAG BUT NO IPAD AND PHONE ?

SO WATCH UP WHERE YOU PARK AND LEAVE THE CAR EMPTY

Once an Organizer of Feed the needy had his girlfriends car next to the soup kitchen, his girlfrineds car had the front door window broken, purse everything stolen. Police just made a report for her to send too her insurance. Really the pickpockets and burglers are freacking odivoious in Geneva. I can spot them everywhere today. Its amazing that this is accepted. Stupid thing was she put her bad in plain sight, always cover anything important with a shit towel or jacket or sweaty trainer. Or just put in under the seat, logic.

When my boyfriend was moving out from Geneva, he had this ONE day without indoor parking. So, he just parked close to clubhouse (paquis), and guess what? Someone broke in, destroying the front door lock, got his entire CD collection (i mean, who steals CDs nowadays, for christ sake???) and his climbing stuff (just a pair of old pants and shoes). In other words, absolutely ZERO that could be sold by any price, they had value only for him. It's sad to see the city going down like this....

Paquis is a mess.  Once I parked my car for one hour and someone stole a piece of my rear window wiper.  Avoid parking there.

I would say be aware of pickpockets everywhere you go.  I live in Fribourg, and someome got my phone while I was waiting for the bus at the train station one time.  Then I've heard so many stories about people having things stolen in the train.

Beware especially of kids or teenagers.  They are quick with their hands and they always play innocent when you catch them in the act.  That happened to me in Paris when I saw a hand trying to get into my side pocket, then I turn arround and there was a teenage kid.

lol! so UDC was right! 

I've experienced the gold ring trick.  In fact they are small brass pipe fittings.  We had a very polite coneversation and I suggested she take it to the lost and mfound office.  When she said she had no documentation I offered to do this for her but she said she would like 10 francs for the ring.  I politely declined and we parted company.

She was on her own and there was no threat.  At the time I did not know that it was not gold but came to this conclusion after talking to a couple of people.  Thinking about it, I also thought that I saw the ring drop.

Usually when you are approached you are thinking of soemething else and normally you do not finf gold rings on the street