There are so many pick pockets in the UK, that is is hard to determine, just how many thefts there are in a year. The majority of these happen in areas where large groups of people assemble. Typically tube and rail stations, airports, bus stations, ports etc. The city centres and large shopping centres are also the perfect scene for these thieves.
Many of these go unreported, but those that are reported come to an incredible 600,000 a year. Some experts reckon that the true figure is closer to 6,000 incidents a day. The main items stolen are electronics such as Smart Phones, Tablets, Laptops etc.
Worst European Cities for Pickpockets
There are quite a few of these, but based on reported information, we have this top 5 list below:
- Barcelona
- Rome
- Prague
- Madrid
- Paris
There is few things worse then discovering that you have been robbed. Like many travellers, I like backpacks, especially for shorter trips, or for simply going to the office or your place of work. They are however one of the easiest types of luggage to steal from. At the end of the day, the back is on your back and for the most part out of sight.
In the video you will see these horrible people in action. For the most part they target any type of backpack, as for them that is easy pickings.
The police offer a lot of advice, as do many travel companies, on how to stay safe and avoid being the victim of a thief or pickpocket. Ideally we would carry all valuables on our person, zipped up and safely out of sight. It isn't really easy to do that with a laptop.
Thankfully the luggage manufacturers make backpacks that are designed to be anti-theft.
These types of backpacks are now widely available in the UK market. Below we have included the top 10 according to buyer reviews. Hopefully you will find this information useful.
Our Top 10 List of Anti-Theft Backpacks
Wenig Anti-Theft Laptop Backpack - Best Seller Online
- Available in black or grey and measures 17.7 x 11.8 x 7.4
- It has 3 main pockets and 9 inner small pockets, with 2 side pockets and 1 back pocket The laptop pocket fits 15.6 inch, 15 inch or 14 inch Macbook/Laptop
- It also has a built in USB charger outside and built in charging cable inside
- It is made of water resistant and durable Oxford cloth with metal zippers.
- It has wide breathable mesh padded shoulder straps
- Both sides of the shoulder strap have a pocket design, where you can hang sunglasses and other small items
- It also has a luggage strap that allows your backpack to fit on luggage/suitcase, and slide over the luggage upright handle tube for easier carrying
This is an antitheft business travel computer bag. It has a fixed password lock and metal zippers. It also has a hidden anti-theft pocket on the back.
Check Amazon UK for Availability. Average UK Price.£27 - 90% buyer satisfaction based on 18,000 online buyer reviews
Sosoon Laptop Backpack
- This is a 30 litre backpack that measures 12.4 x 7.5 x 18.9 inch (L*W*H)
- It has a padded laptop compartment that can hold up to a 15.6-inch Laptop and iPad.
- It has a large main compartment, and a multi-functional compartment with several pockets
- You can connect your own power bank to the internal cable inside the backpack, then plug your phone's own charging cable into the outside USB port to charge your phone.
- This backpack has a foam pad back design with thick mesh padding and it has adjustable shoulder and a foam-padded top handle
- The pack is made from a black knitted fabric composite material with smooth, high-quality zippers and reinforced stitching for lasting durability
There's a lock shackle hidden inside the side pocket, connect the upper pull head of the main pocket with the lock shackle, and thieves will be unable to easily open your backpack without you noticing. A small anti-theft pocket located on the lower back keeps your passport, wallet, phone, and other valuable items safe and handy. A luggage strap can be inserted and fixed to the handle of a trolley or suitcase, making it convenient to carry.
Check Amazon UK for Availability. Average UK Price.£25 - 92% buyer satisfaction based on 9,000 online buyer reviews
Everfunny Women Fashion Backpack
- Available in a variety of colours and measures L33*W16*H37cm
- The bag is made from vintage genuine leather, with high quality nylon shoulder straps and gold tone hardware.
- It has a padded bottom which helps the bags stand easily
- The interior of the bag has 1 main compartment, 1 zipper pocket and 2 open pockets
- The exterior of the bags has 2 side pockets and 1 front zip pocket for easy access to small items
- It also has a removable shoulder strap which can be adjusted to up to 94 cm, and as such can be used as tote bag, shoulder bag or backpack
The main compartment has a back U-shaped zipper design that provides anti-theft function, and helps protect your belongings.
Check Amazon UK for Availability. Average UK Price.£20 - 88% buyer satisfaction based on 2,000 online buyer reviews
Kopac 17 inch Anti Theft Laptop Backpack
- Available in grey or black/grey
- Available in two sizes 17.3" Version measures 12 x 5.9 x 20 inch. and the 15.6" Version measures 11 x 4.9 x 18 inch. 17.3"
- This backpack is built with water resistant material and there is a rain cover on the bottom pocket.
- It has 1 main compartment with separated easy access laptop and iPad compartment, a back pocket, a bottom pocket, 2 hidden side pockets and a quick access strap pockets for your credit cards etc
- It has an external USB port with USB charging cable, convenient for any electronic device
- It has 2 reflective strips for improved safety when walking or cycling at night
There is no outer zipper and pocket to help keep your items safe. It also has 2 x hidden side pockets for small private items.
Check Amazon UK for Availability. Average UK Price.£125 - 90% buyer satisfaction based on 2,500 online buyer reviews
Vaschy Backpack for Women
- Available in black, 45 grey, burgundy, dark grey, dark green, pink, and yellow
- This backpack is made of high quality water resistant soft durable Vinylon fabric and measures 11.5x15.7x5.1 inch
- The backpack’s main compartment has a two-way zipped closure, water-bottle pockets on both sides, a padded sleeve, a zipped pocket, a mesh pocket and some small pockets inside
- It also has 1 outer front pocket with a key clip inside, and a secured back pocket,
- It also has adjustable air mesh padded strap
There is also an additional zipped secured pocket at the back of the backpack for your cell phone.
Check Amazon UK for Availability. Average UK Price.£31 - 92% buyer satisfaction based on 400 online buyer reviews
Vaschy Women Backpack Purse
- Available in black, brown, burgundy, grey, nylon black and pink and measures 13x6x13 inch
- It is made from soft vegan artificial vintage leather which is durable and waterproof.
- It has adjustable shoulder straps and also has a short shoulder strap to carry the bag as a shoulder bag
- It has on the exterior two zipped pockets in front and two side pockets are for your water or other small items.
The back zipper gives access to the main compartments to ensure your items are kept safely.
Check Amazon UK for Availability. Average UK Price.£34 - 88% buyer satisfaction based on 450 online buyer reviews
Anti-Theft Backpack Buying Guide
There are many of these type of anti-theft backpacks available on the UK market. Above we have listed the top 10 of the better ones. There are of course many important features that a backpack should have. These include padding, the amount of room, the comfort of the straps etc.
Generally speaking, backpacks are used mainly for backpacking, hiking or when camping. However that is simply no longer the case. These days they are used for a whole variety of purposes. These include:
- Hiking & Camping
- Traveling - day trips, weekend trips, longer trips
- Hand luggage - this includes at airports and also as carry on luggage, TSA friendly, and anti-theft backpacks
- For business and especially for carrying laptops of different sizes (14-14.9", 15-15.9", 16-16.9" and 17"+) and daily commuting
- For college and school
- For sports of all types including going to the gym
- For cyclists
- For fishing
- As a fashion accessory including designer backpacks
As you can see from the list above, backpacks are so much more than just for the traditional uses of hiking and camping.
Important Backpack Buying Questions?
- Which type of backpack do you need?
- How will the backpack fit?
- What size or capacity is the backpack?
- What features do you want in your backpack?
- What fabric the backpack is made from?
- Do you have a preferred look or appearance for your backpack?
- Do you have a preferred brand?
Backpack Capacity Comparison Guide
- 18 litre backpacks measure 18 x 9 x 7" and are ideal for cycling, running or light hiking
- 20 litres is a very small backpack
- 23 litre capacity measure about 19 x 13 x 5" and will hold books, notebooks, writing instruments and a laptop
- 33 litre capacity measure about 19 x 14 x 8.5" are good for daily business use and will have various compartments, padded straps and a laptop
- 33-35 litres measure about 19 x 11 x 6" and they are good for carry on luggage (On average about 10 Kg when packed) or a hiking daypack
- 39 litres measure about 21 x 13 x 9" and is good for a universal backpack and most of these are expandable
- 50 litres measure about 23 x 15 x 8.5 and are ideal for hiking and camping
It is never simple to be 100% accurate about the size or capacity of a backpack. That is because the many makers of these use different rules to measure the actual capacity.
The best definition, and the one that most manufacturers use, is to measure the volume of their backpacks by adding up the total volume of the closed storage on their packs. That includes the main compartment, and the various pockets on the pack.
Some smaller manufacturers will include open pockets like side water bottle pockets or rear mesh pockets in addition to the closed storage. It isn't always easy to directly compare like for like.
Backpack capacity is measured in liters, and in all honesty, that type of measurement doesn't really help most people. which is why we have helped explain what it really means in the above table.
Safety Features
Safety is of course one of the important ones. Any bag can be broken into is the thief has enough time. However what these types of bag do is make it very difficult to break into.
The types of pickpocket you see in airports, ports, train and bus stations take advantage of travellers being distracted.
That allows them to get easy access to pockets and bags. If you make these tough for them to get into, then they will more than likely leave you alone.
Typically these bags have seams covering the main zipper area. Most of them use the material on the straps to do that. In addition to that, they will also be rip resistant, and some of them will be anti-slash.
A favourite trick of thieves is to use a sharp knife to slash the bottom of the bag, and then quickly remove items inside. An anti-slash bag will stop that.
Locks and Zippers
A big weakness in most luggage is the quality of the zippers. Not only do these come off, but they can often stick and jam. Always look for good quality metal zippers, ideally dual zippers, that can be pulled together, and then a lock attached to the ends of the zippers.
Hidden Compartments
Many of these, but not all, will have hidden compartments. These can be useful especially for important documentation.
Other Features
This does need quite a lot of thought. Over the years backpacks have become much better designed and manufacturers have added many features. We have listed the main ones below:
- Size of the main compartment - this is one of the most important features and is often overlooked.
- Padded straps - these provide comfort when carrying the backpack. They should be wide and comfortable to stop them digging into your shoulders.
- Water bottle pocket - some people prefer to have a water bottle or drink's holder. This is available on some backpacks, and on some models there are a couple of these, usually on the side of the pack
- USB charging - today a lot of backpacks come with a charging point using a USB to charge up phones etc.
