Dear Clothing Arts,

Lyon, France, June 2, while boarding a train to Dijon, I noticed a pair of young girls had joined the boarding throng. They almost insisted I board before them.

My wife noticed one of them attempting the rear buttons on my ​P​ick​-​Pocket ​P​roof ​P​ants where I had stashed a dummy wallet behind the zipper. I have put a dummy wallet in a rear pocket after being victimized on the Paris Metro 22 years ago. My real wallet, passport, and phone were secure in the hidden front pockets behind your zipper and button flap.

She glared at them and they broke off the attempt before even able to undo the rear buttons. I only wish I had had your past on the metro years ago. We spent 2 1/2 weeks in crowded tourist destinations in Italy and France and thanks to your pants I had no problems with pickpockets.

- Rich R. from ​South Carolina, USA.​

Editor's Note: This is the first known stopped pick-pocket[s] by a traveler wearing Pick-Pocket Proof®️ Apparel in Bangladesh! John likely experienced more than just the three confirmed stops mentioned below. It pays to be prepared and in a pair of our pants, you are a more difficult target than a pick-pocket is ready to handle.

Dear Clothing Arts,

I just returned from two weeks in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and whenever I planned to be​ in crowds, I wore my Pick-Pocket Proof Pants. Several times I felt tugs when the crowds were close, but everything stayed secure.

Every time I was in a crowd, with everyone jostling, I felt tugs on my back pockets. On two or three occasions, I felt someone pat my front pockets where my wallet (left side) and cellphone (right) side were.

I'm 6’2”, 230, bright blue eyes, and white hair walking around and was probably targeted in Bangladesh because I stood out like a sore thumb. I was in a crowd multiple times over two weeks, and each time, I purposely wore my pick proof pants, and each time I felt tugs on both my front and back pockets. Once, I even had both buttons undone on a cargo pocket, though why they would try that pocket when it was obviously empty is beyond me.

- John T. from Florida, USA.

Editor's Note:  This testimonial came in via a Facebook post. The train referred to in the messages is the Circumvesuviana line. This is the train you would take to get to Pompeii or Herculaneum, which accounts for the high number of tourists and the pick-pockets who target them. Mike G. is from Utah, USA.

Editor's Note: This is your 26th known stopped pick-pocket in Rome!

Dear Clothing Arts,

On a recent trip to Rome, I got on a crowded tram heading to the train station. My wallet was in the front zippered pocket. As we got close to the station, the crowds thinned, but I was still being pressed by a couple of people. At one point, I looked down and saw a hand in my pocket trying to pull my wallet out. The zipper had been opened but slowed the thief down enough that I caught her red-handed.

Her accomplices intervened after I pushed the pickpocket away and yelled at her for trying to steal my wallet. They got off the tram at the next stop and disappeared into the crowds, but I still had my wallet thanks to your pants!

- Randall W. from Utah​

Editors Note: This is your 27th know stopped pick-pocket in Paris!

Dear Clothing Arts,

On May 31, 2019, my Clothing Arts Pick-Pocket Proof Pants foiled an attempted pickpocket in Paris. I had just boarded the subway on my way to the Louvre Museum and standing by the door waiting for the door to close when suddenly someone next to me dropped keys and dropped to his hands and knees on the floor of the train. He started to rub my left ankle and was telling me that I dropped keys. I knew the keys were not mine as I did not have any keys on me at that time. I got a bit irritated so I hit his hands away from my ankle. At which time he and the person behind me ran off the train just before the doors closed.

I then checked my pockets and found that the button on my right pants pocket had been undone and the zipper was unzipped 1/2 way. Apparently, while I was distracted, his accomplice tried to reach into my right pants pocket to grab my cell phone. I had my cell phone in the Velcroed part of the pocket so I had one more layer of defense which he did not breach. Luckily my Pick-Pocket Proof Pants came to my defense and my cell phone was safe.

Thanks for making a great product. I will never again travel without them.

- Clinton C. from California, USA.​

Dear Clothing Arts,

My wife and I were entering the Granada Cathedral late in the afternoon in February and there was a small group of people milling around the entrance. A man appeared out of nowhere and put his arms around me and his hands swiftly swarmed all over my body. I heard the loud voice of an old man who was shrugging behind me to be aware of the first man. It is not sure to me whether the second man was a good Samaritan or a planted diversion. As I was turning to acknowledge the second man, the first man slipped into the cathedral and magically disappeared forever.

Afterwards, we kept replaying the incident in our head about what exactly had occurred. Who else in the crowd might have been involved? Was I over-reacting? Was he just in a hurry to get into choir practice or some such? It all happens so fast. I kept mentally inventorying in my mind wondering did he take anything? I was totally intact and did not lose anything. It was strange and upsetting but all at once reassuring. I was protected and I actually felt better afterward knowing that my valuables were, in fact, secure.

We also witnessed another scam in Madrid that did not involve us…or did it? An old gypsy woman with some other colorful characters were walking together near the Plaza del Sol and she literally flew out of her shoes and landed on the ground. Immediately many concerned people jumped to her rescue to help her and get her on her feet again. Her entourage was busy mingling with the crowd in a very choreographed way. We felt conflicted on an immediate level but were quick to get away from the whole mess. Regardless, I was glad that I was wearing my Clothing Arts garb and felt secure that nothing was taken from me.

It is always a good idea to be vigilant and aware of our surroundings regardless. I suspect that pickpockets and scammers tend to go for the low-hanging fruit. Distracted and unprepared naive tourists are so vulnerable. Their brain is on vacation and they tend to be careless and vulnerable. It is such a comfort to be as secure as possible as we move through the world enjoying the sites​.

- John G. from Cape May, NJ, USA.

Editor's Note: The testimonial below is counted as one stop as it is likely a single pick-pocket attempted to open the zipper multiple times. This is your first known stop in Sierra Leone.

Dear Clothing Arts,

I just returned from a trip to Sierra Leone, a beautiful country in Western Africa--but it is also a very poor country as well. At a very crowded marketplace in Bo, in the eastern part of the country, I felt 3 attempts to open or reach into my right pocket. I had everything secured behind zippers---nothing was missing, they never got past the initial attempt.

Thanks for the great product.

Rich H from California, USA.
--a new (and loyal) customer

Editors Note: This is your 6th know stop in St. Petersberg!

Dear Clothing Arts,

My wife and I were in St. Petersburg, Russia. We were walking down a sidewalk on the main street and we stopped for a pedestrian stop sign. We were first at the curb, with a lot of people behind us. As the light changed, a man abruptly walked in front of us and stopped, preventing us from crossing while he stood still. I felt another person pushing into my back from behind, and then, a hand trying to first reach into my pocket​.​ ​A​n attempt ​was then made ​t​o grab a travel bag I was holding. I shoved the man aside and he and his partner were lost in the crowd.

Luckily for us, they were unsuccessful due to your anti-pick-pocket pants we were both wearing. I am a police officer and knew the attempt was imminent, but we were helpless and of course without any weapons. It was a frightening and unnerving experience, and we were most likely targeted as we are seniors.

I wonder if the experiences when looked upon together will let travelers know where an “incident” is most likely to happen!

- Harvey M. from Florida, USA.​

Dear Clothing Arts,

My nephew bought a pair of men’s pants for my brother who is currently wearing them on a European trip. I understand some young girl was trying to pick pocket him and her fingers got caught in the zipper in Madrid.

My nephew and brother live in Trinidad and Tobago. Your clothes are famous worldwide! I never heard about your company until my nephew gave me the info.

- Carol F from Ontario, Canada

Editor's Note:  This is your 1st stop in Venice and 25th overall in Rome!

Dear Clothing Arts,

I bought my Adventure and Business pants with the anticipation of my trip to Italy. I was there for 10 days and we went all over. I got back today and can say these pants saved me... twice in 10 days.

Once on our train ride from Venice to Rome, I was wearing the Business Pants and had my wallet in the secret inside zipper. I noticed my outside zipper was undone while leaving the train.

Then, in Rome, while in line for the Colosseum, I was wearing the Adventure Pants and felt someone trying to unzip my pants pocket. They made it to the button flap.

Nice job Clothing Arts. Thank you.

- Austin J. from Utah, USA.