Theft in the Paris metro: How my backpack and laptop were stolen

It’s a well known fact that Paris is home to not just beautiful monuments but also conniving pickpockets. As a local resident of more than two years, I thought I had learned to outwit the thieves and become impervious to a thing that “only tourists experience”. Little did I know that despite being a careful person, they would finally succeed in stealing my backpack and laptop in the Paris metro.

How it happened

I was on my way from home to school. I had my backpack with me, and inside were my laptop and a rare book borrowed from the library. I’m usually pretty alert during my commute, but that day I made two mistakes:

1. I set my backpack down on the ledge behind me while I sat down (though I had already done this many times before without issue).
2. I put on my AirPods and listened to music.

I guess the music must have been too distracting or relaxing because when I got up to leave the metro, I turned around and noticed that my backpack was gone. Heart in my stomach, I didn’t need more than a millisecond to realize what had happened: someone swiped my backpack and all its contents from behind me while I was distractedly enjoying my music.

What I did next

I got out of the train and just sat on the platform for a moment to think about what to do next.

I went to class anyway, as skipping it wouldn’t have helped me get my belongings back.

After class, I debated whether or not to go to the police to report the theft. Although I knew chances of getting my stuff back were infinitesimally slim, I decided to go report it anyway. That way maybe the city of Paris could be incentivized to take greater measures against petty crimes like this.

How to report theft to the police

You can search for the nearest police station by searching “commissariat” in Google Maps. I went to the one that was closest to my school, not where the theft happened. I had to present a piece of ID, and the visit took about two hours in total.

The officers were very nice and empathetic. They asked me questions including:

• What metro line were you on?
• What time did this happen?
• Describe the appearance of your lost belongings.
• What is the serial number of your laptop? Thankfully, mine was registered on my iPhone, so I could find the serial number there.

They also asked me for my contact information and said they would reach out in case they find the belongings.

At the end of it, they gave me an official theft report detailing everything I had told them. Apparently this report is useful for if you want to file a claim with your credit card company or insurer.

Unfortunately none of what I lost was covered by insurance or warranty, so the report was just a souvenir of the tragic incident.

Lessons learned

I wish I didn’t have to replace these expensive things, but at least I’m still safe and well.

If this ever happens to you, don’t beat yourself up or dwell on it. The chances of getting your things back will not increase with your level of sadness or anger. And definitely don’t let it ruin your time in Paris – you’re already here and the things are already gone, so make the most of what’s left!

• Be aware of your surroundings, both audio and visual.
• Don’t carry more than what you actually need in your wallet.
• Be extra careful if you decide to put on headphones in public, as that makes you a bigger target.