although this post is almost a year old, you should consider yourself lucky. we get robbed by snatch thieves or at knife point. some ladies who have designer handbags get dragged along on tar load as their bags don't snap when snatched. Some people get beaten up and robbed, some get robbed and beaten up. Pick pocket?? lol the economy is bad everywhere, expect more of this.

I have seen a few pickpockets/thieves in my travels and for me the best way to tackle the situation is to ignore it rather than be a hero or a knight in shining armor as we don't know if those professional thieves have a knife or even a gun.

you cannot judge a place or country by just one bad experiance

i got dipped on escalator in sungei wang mall in K.L, luckey they only got RM 60 but my rolex wallet !! thats what peed me off !! had it for years !!

but i still go to K.L and the same mall and shop there if youstopped doing things because of one bad happening you mite as wel lstay home,

i was wary before im double wary now !

you can even get robbed in your own hometown....what to do when that happen?? move away?? pretty soon you will run out of place to move here on earth

I was pick pocketed on the 101 bus from Straits Quay marina to Georgetown. The guy took my wallet from my backpack and ran off the bus. I couldn't catch him. Lost some cash and had to get new credit cards. Fortunately a young local man found my wallet complete with everything except the cash. He phoned me and drove out to return it to me. He was disappointed that this happened in his country. I would go back to Penang, but perhaps a little more cautious.

Yes sadly this happens everywhere.

Yes..it is a common thing ALL over the world...I was robbed on the Rapid Penang Bus between Komtar and Tanjung Bungah on the 101 one afternoon

had cash stolen from my bum bag....you were lucky that you did not catch up with the offender ..they normally travel the buses in pairs ...and could have been knifed....if you wise ...you take out travel insurance to cover such things

In closing ....a back pack is the worse thing to use....I have found that a money belt under your shirt the safest...do not blame the locals ..it is the foreigners that are to blame

Hi roostown............

' do not blame the locals ..it is the foreigners that are to blame'

Further to your comment about the foreigners, this is something that is always touted by the locals (not including my husband who is a local) and the Police. Having also lived and worked in Thailand this is always the explanation by their locals in regards to the Burmese workers.

I have a number of both Bangla and Indonesian friends that I have known for years in Penang. They work two jobs to send money home to their families. An action such as this would be totally beneath them.

Sure there are the 'not so good' ones but this also applies to the locals.

Rosli...agree with you that there are good and bad within both...but the stats of those nabbed reflect that in the majority ..the offenders are foreigners who have no steady job and in some cases are illegals in the country....I do know that those who fleeced me were of Indian origin who ended up being caught in a sting operation .....Like yourself I have many a friend in Malaysia who come from multi ethic backgrounds and they are good people

'Like yourself I have many a friend in Malaysia who come from multi ethic backgrounds and they are good people'

Agreed,

I might note also that I look forward to your posts, maybe one day we can catch up over a coffee. We could have much to discuss re your latest comment regarding stats etc.