With special campaigns throughout Latvia, people are warned not to become victims of pickpockets

Marking especially designed protection zones around ATMs, SIA First Data Latvia, Latvijas Krājbanka and the State Police, within the social-informative campaign www.kabatzaglis.lv, reminded to people of various towns and cities that carrying cash with you is a much bigger risk than keeping it in a bank account and making payments with cards.

The target group of these campaigns were people who, instead of paying with a card at outlets, pay in cash. It is them who are favourite with pickpockets and it is their wallets that bring joy to pickpockets. Among the potential victims of pickpockets, there are people who receive their wages in cash and who receive their wages to cards, but, forced by habit, they go to ATMs to withdraw larger amounts of cash and continue paying in cash.

The protection zones were painted in 14 towns of Latvia. During the event, passers-by could visit the travelling photo exhibition "How to Protect Yourself", which demonstrated the situations in which pickpockets, without any problems, can stole other people's money. The attendants were addressed by representatives of the State Police, SIA First Data Latvia and Latvijas Krājbanka. Journalists and all the attendants of the campaign received in-depth information on thefts and the tricks of pickpockets as well as on the possibilities to keep one's money in safety.