Personal Safety and Security When on Foot
For many people, walking in the midst of people as we do in towns and other crowded areas gives a false sense of security. Incidentally, criminals keep getting bolder because they understand the laxity that grips people in crowds.
Walking or running presents security challenges to you and mugging opportunities to the criminals. There are certain precautions that you can take to minimize your chances of becoming a mugging victim.
- Stay alert at all times and periodically scan your environment discreetly. Slowly look over your shoulder periodically and watch your surroundings using your peripheral vision. If you behave like a gazelle on the savanna (anxiously turning your head around) you will be calling attention of potential criminals on yourself). Scan the area far ahead of you before you get there
- Consider purchasing special clothing or accessories to carry your identification documents (identity card, passport, driving license), money or credit cards.
- Avoid carrying a lot of cash on yourself. Use non cash money such as phone transfers (M-Pesa, Zap), credit and debit cards. Keep your cash and non cash money separately.
- Keep valuables out of sight and luggage close at hand. If carrying a handbag, keep it in front of you, closed, with the fastening toward your body. Keep a wallet in your front pants pocket. Keep the grip on your handbag firm and consistent. Avoid repeated touching of the pockets with your money or valuables. Criminals are always on the lookout for that betraying involuntary action. Many people cannot help to periodically confirm that the valuables are safe in the pocket. Unfortunately, that is one of the important signals that criminals look for when they are selecting a victim.
- Let go if your bag, luggage or phone is snatched. Raise the alarm. Report the details of the attack to the police and be sure to record all that was stolen. Inform your bank, phone service and credit card service provider of the theft so that they can temporarily deactivate your account to prevent fraudulent transactions using the stolen documents
- If an armed criminal demands you give out your purse, do not just give it, "innocently" throw it past him but not far off. He will most likely believe you inadvertently over short him; and turn around to pick the purse. At that point, run off at top speed in the opposite direction. Run in a zig zag manner looking for the nearest solid object to give you cover.
- Do some research on the area you are visiting. Talk to people who frequent the area, the police and your security service provider. Avoid walking in high risk crime areas. If you must go there, be accompanied, carry only the bare minimum essentials and spend only the necessary time in the area
- Avoid walking in isolated and dark areas. Back streets are especially to be avoided even during the day.
- When walking, dress in a way that gels with the area you are visiting. Avoid standing out or attracting attention. Be aware of local customs and norms. You will be surprised that even in one city like Nairobi, there are different customs and norms for the various estates in the city e.g. customs and norms in Kibera are different from those in Runda.
- Don't wear excess jewelry. Reduce wallet and purse contents, particularly cards denoting affiliations, memberships, accounts, etc. Criminals in Kenya are known to steel someone's wallet and then calling people using the contact cards in the wallet to inform them they need to send money to the criminals in order for the wallet's owner to be released.
- Always avoid getting caught up in crowds. In any crowded situation, be aware of any crowding or jostling, even if it appears innocent. This is often a ploy by pickpockets to distract you.
- If you are approaching a group of people never walk into the group. Always look for a way of side stepping the group. If you cannot side step a group, enter into a shop, hotel or any other public facility on your path and let the group pass. If a group approaches you from behind, never allow it to engulf you. Group mobbing is a popular mugging technique in some parts of cities in Kenya.
© Copyright Infotrack East Africa Ltd. October 2009
