How to avoid getting your phone and wallet stolen at a festival or club

Concerts, festivals and clubs have everything pickpockets look for: big crowds, constant pushing, loud music and people distracted having a good time. That’s why so many phones, wallets and documents disappear there. With a few habits you can greatly reduce the risk and focus on what matters: having fun.

Why it’s so easy to get robbed on a night out

• Constant physical contact: in the front row or on the dance floor, nobody thinks twice about a bump or a push.
• Easy pockets: a phone in your back pocket or a wallet in an open jacket can be taken in seconds.
• Bags and backpacks: left on the floor, on a chair or on your back, exactly where you can’t see them.
• Your attention is elsewhere: dancing, filming or chatting with friends, you don’t notice anything until it’s too late.

9 tips for a worry-free night out

1. Bring only the essentials. ID, one card and some cash. Leave the rest at home.
2. Nothing in your back pockets. It’s the first place a pickpocket looks.
3. Split your money. If you carry cash, don’t keep it all together: that way one theft won’t leave you with nothing.
4. Valuables under your clothes. A hidden wallet worn inside your pants, attached to your belt, is very hard to take without you noticing.
5. Skip the bag. If you don’t carry one, you don’t have to watch it, leave it on the floor or lose it at the coat check.
6. Be careful when you take out your phone. That’s when it’s most exposed. Afterwards, put it somewhere closed.
7. Be wary of strange bumps. If someone runs into you "by accident" or distracts you, check your things.
8. Have a plan if something happens. Write your bank’s number on a piece of paper to block your cards and agree on a meeting point with your friends.
9. Turn on your phone’s location. If you lose it, you’ll be able to find it or wipe it remotely.

The most comfortable way: free pockets

The most practical option for a night out is to keep nothing valuable in sight. With the Nómada hidden belt wallet you keep your ID, cards and cash under your clothes, close to your body, and your pockets stay free. It clips onto your belt in seconds and nobody knows where you keep your valuables.

Carrying cash for the night? The Nómada hidden money belt keeps it in a zipper on the inside: from the outside it looks like a normal belt.

See the Nómada hidden wallet →