Beware of Pickpockets! My ZT 0566BW Elmax Was Stolen Right Out of My Front Pocket Today

Sorry to hear about your knife! Being robbed feels incredibly violating and I can’t imagine it when you’re pickpocketed. Geez. Hope you report it and get them caught when they try to pawn it!

That said, I think that terming climbers and ski bums as dirtbags is crossing a line. There are LOTS of full time climbers and so-called ski bums (mostly younger folks) that are perfectly honest. Most of our Olympic athletes in those sports have lived, or continue to live, that vagabond lifestyle. The kids that stole from you are “dirtbags” without ANY doubt! However, there’s no need to lump the skiing and climbing community into the description, imo. I was once one of those kids and I NEVER stole anything from anyone and neither did any of the other full-time climbers and skiers I met and associated with in the late 89’s and early 90’s. It’s personal and I can’t help but get a little defensive. Lol. Honestly, I met more dirtbags and miscreants in college and in the business world than I did mountaineering and skiing and living out of vans and school busses!

Anyway, I hope you get that great knife back or find a replacement. 🙏🙏
Hey Sendit, sorry if I offended you! I’ve never been a full time skier/climber living out of a van, but I participated heavily for a long while and definitely affiliated. After all, the mountains are why I live here. There definitely are some honest ones around, and I agree it’s how lots of professional athletes get started.

That said, I think there might have been a generational/cultural shift in the lifestyle compared to the 80’s/90’s…or maybe it’s just local to Salt Lake City. I’m probably a good bit younger than you, and more recently I encountered a lot of dishonest, and quite frankly mean/entitled people doing it. Again, I don’t want people to think all of them are thieves, but some definitely are. I was actually inside a sporting goods store near a climbing wall and the knife would only be recognizable as valuable to either a well-informed thief or someone who knows knives…like someone who probably uses/carries one on a regular basis.

edit: I took out “dirtbag”. It gets used a lot around here just to describe people slumming it so they can recreate full time and doesn’t always have a negative connotation, but sometimes it definitely does.
 
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Sorry to heat that Clouds.

Could we have some more details? Did someone "pretend" bump into you for example or did someone knock you down and while people helped you up they took it?

I have my CPL and carry whenever I can (not at work). Due to that and living around Detroit and hearing all the wonderful events that happen in and around Detroit, I tend to be suspicious of everyone and everything. Plus, I just hit 50 and officially a grumpy old man.

Most of the stories I have heard of pickpocketing are in subways or crowded buses when you are crammed into one another.

I was inside a high-end sporting goods store that was moderately crowded but not too bad. Someone stood a few feet to my right and distracted me with a weird gaze just as someone behind me pretended to drop their keys. When they stood up, my knife was gone. It’s such a simple technique I’m not sure it’s really worth keeping secret now tbh. I’m pretty sure my knife ended up clipped to their key ring.
 
Is it possible you just lost it? At what point did you notice it was gone?

I could understand pickpockets going after a wallet or a phone, but a pocketknife seems an odd target, especially when you consider how many people carry cheap folders clipped to their pocket.

Any time a pickpocket makes their move they risk getting the crap beat out of them, or in the case of someone carrying a knife, the risk of being stabbed, not to mention being arrested. Going after a pocketknife would be a serious gamble. Unless it was clearly a high-end knife. But how easy is it to tell from just the pocket clip and whatever portion of the knife might be visible?

Of course I wouldn't put it past some criminals, or some teenagers, to take such risks. People do dumb things all the time.

Did you file a police report?
I didn’t file a police report, but I probably will today. That way the police at least are aware.

It was clipped on pretty well, I don’t think it could have fallen out. I’ve carried it like that daily for years and never had a problem.

I still had it when I walked into a store and noticed it was gone when I went to reach for my car keys. I heard a click and noticed my pocket felt more comfortable after someone picked up their keys behind me while I was distracted by someone wearing a surgical mask staring at me from a few feet away. The clip had ZT on the outside, but realistically only a knowledgable thief or knowledgable outdoors gear/gadget type would have known it was worth anything.
 
sorry for your loss.

i would ask the store clerks if they found your knife or at least make them aware that there were thieves in their store.

maybe they can have a look at the surveilance footage.
 
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Never thought it would be that easy, but I guess I can see it. I may start going IWB to avoid this, but I live where there isn't much crime. Might try just to see how it feels. I'd be pretty upset if I lost certain knives that are almost irreplaceable, which is why they don't get carried much, but even ones that are common would hurt if they were taken.

Speaking of 0566's...i have one I haven't carried in a long, long time. 0566cf in s35vn. I'd let it go for pretty cheap if you'd want it.
IWB has pros and cons too. On one hand, it’s quite discreet and frees up your pocket for other stuff. On the other hand, sweat may be a problem for non-stainless steels. Comfort may be an issue as well depending on the knife.
 
I didn’t file a police report
Raising the alarm , immediately , might have done some good .

Stores often have video surveillance , but only short term storage .

Logically , better to have your knife lifted than your wallet .

Still , seems somehow worse as a personal violation . :mad:
 
Sorry to hear about your knife! Being robbed feels incredibly violating and I can’t imagine it when you’re pickpocketed. Geez. Hope you report it and get them caught when they try to pawn it!

That said, I think that terming climbers and ski bums as dirtbags is crossing a line. There are LOTS of full time climbers and so-called ski bums (mostly younger folks) that are perfectly honest. Most of our Olympic athletes in those sports have lived, or continue to live, that vagabond lifestyle. The kids that stole from you are “dirtbags” without ANY doubt! However, there’s no need to lump the skiing and climbing community into the description, imo. I was once one of those kids and I NEVER stole anything from anyone and neither did any of the other full-time climbers and skiers I met and associated with in the late 89’s and early 90’s. It’s personal and I can’t help but get a little defensive. Lol. Honestly, I met more dirtbags and miscreants in college and in the business world than I did mountaineering and skiing and living out of vans and school busses!

Anyway, I hope you get that great knife back or find a replacement. 🙏🙏
I was a touch concerned about the lumping of climbers and skier’s being dirtbags.
I’m an avid sport and ice climber so, it was hard not to be offended.

Thanks C CloudsRest for clearing up your position. :)

Sorry for your loss…new knife shopping time!! 😎
 
sorry for your loss.

i would ask the store clerks if they found your knife or at least make them aware that there were thieves in their store.

maybe they can have a look at the surveilance footage.
I already did. The manager was very helpful but it sounds like the in-store camera coverage was lacking a bit.
 
IWB has pros and cons too. On one hand, it’s quite discreet and frees up your pocket for other stuff. On the other hand, sweat may be a problem for non-stainless steels. Comfort may be an issue as well depending on the knife.

Definitely true. I'd prefer to carry my piece on my hip, but iwb keeps me discrete. I do like my non-stainless steels, but have plenty of stainless as well. Might just have to try a few out and see how it goes.
 
After losing 2 of my favorite knives to seatbelts, I just put it in my pocket and skip the clip. The seatbelts did essentially the same thing another poster mentioned about WWII pen thieves, in that it slid under the clip and liberated the knife. I only know this because I've caught the belt trying to do this before, and it's pretty effective otherwise I'd still have those 2 knives.
 
I hate that for you Cloudsrest.
Hate thieves even more.

Boombats, yeah, I've known the seatbelts to be pretty slick in stealing a few knives from me over the years. Thankfully I eventually found them all, but I've learned to be cautious and aware of that potential problem.

Here's to hoping that the said thieves/pickpockets will be caught soon and be convinced to give up that evil lifestyle, before it's too late for them. Amen.
 
The Dirtbag Lifestyle is a thing, and as mentioned not necessarily portrayed as a negative thing.

But it does attract those who are also less than model citizens.

At the end of the day, whether you are a poor kid from the streets or a Wall Street crook, stealing sucks.

Whenever I have to travel to a city, I take a bit of time going through my possessions and make sure I am as prepped as much as I can be. I even carry money and credit cards in two separate spots on my person.

To be traveling across the planet or out of country and lose your ID, cash, and cards is a humbling scary experience.

I've been mugged a few times, and it's a whirlwind of emotion, and none of them positive.
 
Seems kinda weird , almost like a stunt / prank as much as simple robbery .

Wallet , smart phone etc makes sense ...but to just swipe a guys knife ?

Of course , a large part of some types of theft and other crime is thrill seeking .

Counting coup , taking a guy's personal knife right outta his pocket .
 
Whenever I've got to be somewhere that I'd rather not: I unclip my EDC, and drop it down into my pocket.
 
IDK, I guess some really slick "operators" could take my knife out of my pocket BUT I do not venture intentionally into crowded areas (by nature and because of Covid) and NEVER let anyone touch or brush up against me which I (may naievely) believe is necessary for any pickpocket to operate.

I always have my head on a swivel, maintain my distance and take an defensive posture in a crowd that I'm caught in and will push (usually gently) anyone out of my way who gets too close in order to protect my space but have taken a more aggressive stance (more than once) against someone who is not looking where they are going and is going to run into me (or my GF) as a result.

Never been pick pocketed in my life (as a result) but I have lost a knife w/a loose clip out of my front pants pocket because I didn't bother to better secure it.
 
Thievery sucks. I hate feeling violated. The feeling is usually worse than the expense & effort of replacing whatever was lifted.

I hope it’s all behind you soon, Clouds, and that you have a good time knife shopping.
 
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