In a crowd, be alert!
On rush hours, buses and metro cars are often crowded, and where there's a crowd, you can most certainly expect to find a pickpocket, especially in the afternoon. Despite the targeted presence of metro security officers and of police officers from the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM - the City of Montreal Police Dept.), many cases of stolen wallets are recorded each year. We'd like to suggest some prevention behaviours that hopefully will help you avoid becoming a thief’s catch of the day.

Some advice
Be alert! Be aware of your surroundings. Keep money and credit cards in hard-to-reach places; ideally, not in your purse or knapsack. Since these are far from your body, you can’t feel if someone is interfering with them, so they represent appealing targets to thieves. In a crowded bus or metro car, movements are restricted. You can feel that something is wrong if someone keeps pressing against you. Beware!

If you are carrying your purse with the strap around your shoulder, be sure to hold it close to you at elbow level. It’s also a good idea to keep the opening facing front and well closed. Pickpockets are often very skillful and discreet.

If you are or believe you are the victim of a theft
It’s very important to report the details of the incident as soon as possible, and to contact your bank and report your cards stolen. If you are still in the STM network, speak to a staff member, who will send for a security officer. If you have left the STM network, you should go to a police station in the city of Montreal.

You can also check with the Customer Service Centre to see if your wallet or identification has been found. Call 280-5100 or visit the centre, located at the mezzanine level of the Berri-UQAM metro station. You should wait 48 hours after the event before doing so to allow the item to make its way to the lost and found.

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