Pickpocketing accounts for 30 per cent of all crime on the railways. Pickpockets tend to operate in crowded places such as ticket barriers or crowded platforms and often target females – 80 per cent of victims are female – by ‘dipping’ into open handbags and taking purses, mobiles, etc. Robbery is the same as theft but with violence or the threat of violence and leads to longer jail sentences for the offenders. Protecting your valuables will greatly reduce the chances of becoming a victim of pickpocketing and robbery. Tips to stay safe include:

• always carry your wallet, mobile and other valuables in an inside pocket or zipped up in a bag
• mark your valuable property (such as an iPod or mobile) with your postcode and house number in permanent marker or UV pen
• stay alert and be aware of your surroundings
• look for CCTV cameras in stations and try and stay within view