TikTok user Charlotte North shared a handy tip for protecting your bag from pickpockets while travelling. She suggested using a standard hair clip as a makeshift ‘lock’, threading it through the zip pull and securing it to the bag strap. People on social media thought it was a great idea, but some suggested using more secure carabiners for the same purpose. At the same time, experts from the Metropolitan Police say that even zipped up doesn’t necessarily mean it’s safe in a crowd, and recommend carrying bags in front or diagonally across the shoulder, keeping wallets in zipped pockets, and being as vigilant as possible in crowded places.
A traveller shared a great tip on social media about how to protect her bag from pickpockets. Express reported that user @Charlottenorth showed how to make an improvised ‘lock’ for a bag using a standard hairpin in a viral TikTok video.
This ‘clever’ life hack quickly won over users, who called it the ‘best trick’ for travelling. The author says the method is so simple, it just requires one item – a crab-clip. The Mirror also says that some users have suggested using carabiners for the same effect.
Charlotte explained: ‘How to lock your bag whilst travelling. It might sound silly, but I only realised this halfway through my trip, and it seemed revolutionary to me.’ In the video, she puts the hairpin through the bag’s zip and fastens it to the strap, creating a sort of ‘lock’.
TikTok users loved the idea, and the video got over 100,000 likes. One person commented: ‘I really like this, how clever!’
Someone else said, ‘It’s so simple, but also really clever!’
Another user thanked her for the tip, calling it ‘very clever’.
One commenter said they felt much more at ease in busy places when they used this method to secure their bag. Others said they’ve been using carabiners when travelling for ages and think they’re one of the best travel hacks.
It was a really popular idea with people getting ready for summer trips around Europe. Some people said they’d definitely use this method when they go to Italy.
The Metropolitan Police website also reminds us that even a zipped bag doesn’t guarantee complete security. The police are warning that thieves can unzip bags in a crowd without anyone noticing.
The police say it’s best to carry bags in front or across your shoulder, and to keep your wallet in a zipped or buttoned pocket. It’s also a good idea to be especially watchful in shops and shopping centres, where people can get distracted and become easy targets for pickpockets.
The police say that crowded places are the perfect place for thieves to operate, as it’s easy for them to sneak up on their victims, steal their stuff and then blend into the crowd.