Ulaanbaatar - Pickpocket Capital of the World

I am at the (in)famous Naral Tuul Black Market. Well it is not primary a market for illegal goods but more for new ones. I have been warned several times before, do not take anything as you will loose it. So, I leave my camera and my cards at home and put some play money in my pockets. One bill worth only a couple of cents sticks out in my back left pocket to distract the thieves from my bigger bills in the front pockets. Lets see what will happen...

Naral Tuul Black Market.

 Photo: internet - as I did not want my camera to be stolen...

Ok, I am on the road for more than 5 months now and - touch wood - nothing has been stolen from me. I wondered through insanely busy streets in Bangladesh, walked in the deep night by myself through Mumbai and had some too many drinks in some rough and seedy bars in Kathmandu or Bangkok and never felt unsafe. Until I came to Ulaanbaatar. At Nadaam Festival somebody tried to open my pocket and slide his hand in and today I heard from the 5th tourist that his bag or pocket has been made lighter or at least attempted to. Pickpockets and also some more violent crime has increased recently in Ulaanbaatar. I had a couple of bigger nights in UB's famous nightlife and walked home - admittingly slight intoxicated - and was watched carefully from a lot of suspicious eyes. Did I just get away or did they know that in the night I only carry the money arround which I am going to spend? Tourist are a prime target as they usually carry a neat array of gadgets, cameras and money out for display in public. Today I walked along Peace Avenue which is the main strip of pickpocketing and I saw a tough woman beat up a potential thief - Good on her! Sadly nobody in the crowd helped her.  Wait a second, thieves usually operate in groups of three. Two district from the front with a fall or a fight (you get it?) and the third one strikes from the back. Before of course they have followed you and figured out where your fat wallet is located.

Back to the market. My sensors are on 120% - where are you you little mean thieves? Maybe the guy who pushed through and touched my arm? Or the young lady who cut the corner running 'coincidential' into me? It is Sunday and the books warn as it is the busiest day of the week to go. I don't really think there were a lot of people but maybe there were enough to pick my pockets? After a couple of hours we are leaving the market exhausted from being alert and from walking the miles of shops. I slowly slide my hand in my back pocket and it is: empty. A slight shiver over my arms, I haven't felt anything. Ah wait a second, this was my right pocket. My left pocket still has my little attractor for the thieves - maybe it wasn't enough to get them hooked...