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a lot less expensive than having everything stolen.

The Metro

Crime is rife on the underground, so you need to keep your wits about you. One of the favourite tricks involves a five person gang. As the train doors open, you will start to move forward and two gang members will be just in front of you. They will step up into the train and stop, leaving you to try and push past them. While this is going on, two other team members will be behind you, with their shoulders pushing into yours. It seems to you as if the usual rugby scrum is going on, but actually what is happening is that the fifth member of the team is using a very sharp knife to slice open your bag and rifle the contents. The whole things is over in about five seconds, and then the team breaks away.

In any crowd you need to be aware of what is going on, and that is not something that you will learn from reading these words. The best tip that I can give you, therefore, is not to carry a bag slung over one shoulder. Have it across your chest and try to carry it in front of you as well. If your bag is an attach case or similar, hold it in front of you especially in crowds. It is far more difficult for the thieves to operate that way, and hopefully they will leave you alone and look for someone else.

Taxis

Staff at the American Embassy are under standing orders not to take cabs that cruise the streets. It is not just that some of the drivers are connected to assault teams, it is that many of the cabs don't have any insurance and the drivers haven't got a license. Be safe and use the taxis that your hotel can supply, or the ones that can be found at a licensed taxi rank. Yes, you will pay more for their services, but at least you will be safe.

The Street

If you stay in the tourist areas, then you should be fine. However, street gangs do operate even in the Zona Rosa, or at least the areas around it, so be careful at night. Gangs operate in large groups so fighting them off is usually not an option. The standard form of attack is for the biggest gang member to grab you around the neck from behind. Others will then move in like jackals to grab their prey. One or two will reach into your trouser pockets from behind and grab whatever they can. While this is going on another will come at you from the front. You will reach out to stop him and quick as a flash he will grab your wristwatch - which is what he was after from the beginning. At a signal from the team leader they will all break and run off in different directions.

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