Editor's Note: This is your 16th known stopped pick-pocket in Barcelona.

​Dear Clothing Arts,

Thanks for speeding up my order and getting it to me before my Europe trip. I spent a week in Paris logging 165,000 steps with my wife...no issues with pickpockets. My 3rd week in Barcelona, taking the D50 bus, a pickpocket starting working me.

The situation was a bus so crowded it took about 4 minutes to squeeze everyone on. The guy behind me looked clean and groomed, but a little shifty. I kept an eye on him when I could, but we were tight and jostled by the bus maneuvering. My hands checked my pockets and found my button undone on my front right pocket. I refastened it, then minutes later found the zipper beneath had been zipped up until it hit the re-buttoned protective cross flap. Strike two buddy!

I started eyeing him closer, bearing my gaze down on him. He uncomfortably moved a few people away further into the bus, passing the pay machine without contributing. He hung around a couple, then moved further next to a second couple. After about 3 fairly short stops I watched him exit, depositing a small black purse under his opposite armpit into an over the shoulder bag; his back to me only a few feet from the bus. Looking up and down the street first, he strode off smartly.

Everything happened so fast and I was always questioning whether I had left something undone, but I had spent the whole day obsessively checking. When he tried twice I knew the zipper had been moved. My friends confirmed they had been eyeing him and coming to the same conclusion.

While he was able to get away with someone’s wallet, I’m thankful to your company that it was not mine!

- Joe C. from North Carolina, USA​

Editor's Note: This is the 3rd straight stop in Spain and the 15th overall for Barcelona!

Dear Clothing Arts,

Once a Boy Scout, always a Boy Scout. I took the motto for the Boy Scouts, “Be Prepared” to heart as I researched my travel destination and discovered that Barcelona, Spain is a target-rich environment for pickpocket thieves. I needed to find a solution to avoid being a pickpocket victim. I found my way to Clothing Arts and purchased a pair of the Pick Pocket Proof Adventure Travel Pants and Shorts. The Adventure Pants/Shorts provided me with that little extra layer of security while exploring the beautiful city of Barcelona. I found myself always checking and double-checking the zippers, buttons, and button tabs while walking about.

One evening, I encountered an open-air concert complete with food and drink stalls in a plaza. There were massive amounts of people in attendance, both locals and tourists. I kept thinking to myself, this is a target-rich environment for pickpocket thieves. I was on high alert. Security comes with a price. I purchased a tapa plate and a drink. Plate in one hand and drink in the other. My hands were tied. I navigated the crowd of people to find a place to enjoy my snack and rock out to the band. I found my way to an open spot and set my plate and drink down on a nearby ledge and performed a security check:

both front pockets: secured
back left pocket: breached

Both back pocket buttons were opened. Both zippers were still closed. The back pocket triple protection (buttons and double zipper design) kept my passport safe and secure.

The Adventure Travel Pants/Shorts are not only for traveling in pick-pocket hot spots. They are my new go-to Pants/Shorts for every outing - theme parks, hikes, festivals, concerts, etc.

The Adventure Travel Pants are domestic airport TSA friendly as well as international airport security friendly. I saw many travelers digging through their luggage and/or carry-on bags to locate their passport. The Travel Pants allowed me to keep my luggage/bags zipped while going through the airport. Passport access was just two buttons and two zippers away for a speedy and in some cases not-so-speedy walk through Customs.

One last note, the morning after the open-air concert, I overheard an upset and angry traveler in the hotel lobby. He was victimized by a pick-pocket thief (or thieves) during the evening concert. He was on the phone speaking with a financial institution working on getting a new card expedited to the hotel. I was a proud "survivor" of an attempted pick-pocket so I felt compelled to share my experience with the fellow traveler. I mentioned that the saving grace was my Clothing Arts Pick-Pocket Proof Adventure Travel Pants with the numerous secure pockets and specifically designed triple protection pocket. The fellow traveler wanted to buy my pants off me ... but he did not have any money to do so. As soon as the fellow traveler recovers from his loss, he is going to invest in some Clothing Arts Adventure Pants.

Thank you Clothing Arts for making traveling enjoyable without having to worry about being a pick pocket victim!

Regards,
Ryan N. from California, USA

Editor's Note:  Incredibly, this is milestone stopped pick-pocket #150, and the 14th overall known stop in Barcelona!

Dear Clothing Arts,

On 6 July 19, my wife and I were on our way back to our hotel from the Old Town district of Barcelona in mid-afternoon via a well-trafficked residential street (stop lights, not just pedestrian crosswalks) when we both felt something warm hit us from behind. It was a warm, thick, light brownish liquid which we immediately took to be pigeon splatter down our backs.

A “good samaritan” came from an apartment building entrance way saying along the lines of “I saw what happened. Allow me to help.” He produced a handful of small, white cocktail-type napkins and a bottle of water out of his carry pouch, proceeded to wet them and indicated that I should clean the wife while he “worked” on me. With the shock, disgust, and embarrassment of the moment, all seemed perfectly reasonable.

Despite the fact that Mr. Pickpocket had the opportunity to be hands-on-body for more than ample time to lift my wallet several times over, my Clothing Arts travel pants kept my wallet safe in my front, zippered, and buttoned pocket. The frustrated pickpocket departed empty-handed in the opposite direction of our travel with NOTHING when we discovered that the goo was a cappuccino, not a pigeon.

I will be adding a third pair of travel adventure pants to my travel wardrobe before our next trip! Thank You Clothing Arts!!

- Loren W. from West Virginia, USA

Editor's Note: This is your 13th known stop in Barcelona and two stop in a row for the city!

Dear Clothing Arts,

A few weeks ago in Barcelona my wife and I were getting on a metro elevator from street level to go down to the metro. We each had a small suitcase and a backpack. A guy squeezed onto the elevator with us and I felt his hand trying to get into my front top pocket. When we arrived at the bottom all he had accomplished was getting the button open, the first of 3 layers. I just laughed at the jerk.

Watch out if you are going on these metro elevators. On a metro, I had a guy staring at my pants pocket. He didn't even bother. He seemed to know it wasn't going to work out well for him.

Thanks for the great pants. I have long and short models.

- Steven S. from Texas, USA.

Editor's Note: This is your 12th known stop in Barcelona!

Dear Clothing Arts,

Pick​​-Pocket testimonial happened yesterday in Barcelona on the metro to the Sagrada Familia. He was successfully stopped and they got nothing.

I was on my way in the Metro when a well-dressed male moved in the car to stand by my side. He had his jacket over his left arm, and he pretended he was getting ready to leave the metro. I think I felt something, but sincerely, I did not pay much attention.

One-stop later I left the metro and realized the robber ha​d​ already opened the first layer of security. That is the zipper on my left pocket. He was unable to go further, so I was saved by your excellent product.

Thank you.

Luis P. from California, USA.​

Editor's Note: This is your 11th overall stopped pick-pocket in Barcelona, #3 on our "unofficial" pick-pocket capital of the world list.

Dear Clothing Arts,

I was wearing the business traveler pants in the Old Town district of Barcelona on April 29th. I had placed my mobile phone in the inner Velcro-secured front pocket and zipped the pocket closed. Hearing footsteps from behind, I saw a man closing in fast from the side. He reached for the pocket with the cell phone. I blocked his advance and he took off. This was more of a strong-armed robbery attempt than a pickpocket attempt, but the pants protected my valuables wonderfully.

- Robert K. from Wisconsin, USA.​