Ever lost your purse?

I never lost a purse but I have had them stolen several times. The most brazen, but unsuccessful attempt, was when I was running down an almost empty tube platform to get into the right carriage to be opposite the exit at my destination station.

I suddenly became aware of someone running quite close behind me. When I turned my head there was a man who immediately pulled back. When I got onto the train I noticed that my handbag which had a flap that buckled partly under the bag was undone. I was castigating myself for being so careless and leaving it undone, when I remembered that it had been done up because as I entered the station I had pushed something into the bag from the side where the flap came over the top because I couldn't be bothered to unbuckle and rebuckle it. The man running behind me had unbuckled the bag and was, presumably, planning to steal my purse. had I not become aware of him.

I left my purse in a car when I was hitching back from Cornwall; the money didn't bother me too much but in the purse was the only photo I'd had taken of myself at that time, and I'd so love to see it again. Life was much simpler pre credit cards and suchlike.

Well done Shysal - it's amazing what you can do in an emergency

Hi All, I bought my chains I use three from Amazon at about £1.75 each. I attach them to the metal loop that opens the purse and then attach the other end to the inside of the bag on the metal tag of the inside pocket. Most bags inside pockets.

I sometimes attach my house keys and car keys too.

I also have £20 tucked in my mobile phone case and I put my bus pass, when I use the bus, in my coat pocket which has a zip. Also my front door keys. So I can get home, gave some spare cash and open the door. Hey presto.

Thanks NanKate. I was wondering how you attached the chain to your purse.

Some how over the years I have gone from being very safety conscious and keeping the various valuables separate in my bag, to carrying everything in my purse. I think it started when I was travelling abroad for work and needed to log so much stuff about, so compact became the norm. Now though, I have just received my new driving license and it's the first time I have had the photo card type, so that fact and this thread started me thinking about keeping everything safer.

We're both due new debit cards in the next 6 months and expect they will be contactless cards. We've been looking at the foil lined envelope cases that are everywhere now to prevent fraudsters stealing your information on the cards and then using it to buy goods. The bad guys are always at least 2 steps ahead.

PS Slashing a bag with a knife is the way thieves target backpackers. Same applies to the knapsack style of handbag.

I found a handbag in bandq this evening. Pleased to say that bandq phoned the owner so panic over.

I have heard this story, though it may be an urban myth:

Lady goes to loo in a large supermarket, hanging her bag on the hook provided, quite high up on the side wall. Whilst she is sat there, a hand reaches over and take the bag off the hook. She is, of course, not able to react quickly enough and the thief gets away with the bag.

A few days later she receives a phone call from the supermarket to say that they have found the bag and she could collect it.

She sets off for the supermarket straight away, of course, but they have no recollection of the phone call. When she gets home, her house has been entered and all valuables stolen.

As I say, it may be an urban myth.

I have been lucky (or just very careful) and have never had my purse stolen, but I have several anecdotes where friends and family have.

I am now thinking about protecting my purse from these card-readers, as our GS's other granddad had his card read somewhere and then several transactions were carried out over his account - in New York!

That's what I was talking about JackyB. It's called RFID blocking protection.

Thanks for the RFID info Wilma. I have ordered a job lot of sleeves from Ebay for myself and family members. Cheap as chips!

No problem shysal. I've been looking on Amazon at the purses and wallets that are advertised as having RFID protection built in. Problem is that when you read the feedback, it turns out the RFID protection doesn't work. I didn't look at the expensive purses and wallets because I wouldn't pay the kind of price (e.g. more than about £25). We'll be buying packs of the sleeves too. Some come with nice designs to make it easier to remember which card they contain. Changing world.

I bought a couple of packs of these for us all because I wanted landscape orientation for ease of removal and easy identification. Not much choice of decorative ones surprisingly.

That's the kind of thing I have in mind too.