Pickpockets and petty theft rarely involve confrontation. They rely on distraction and easy access. A few simple habits significantly reduce your exposure.
Take Only What You Need for the Day
Leave the hotel with a maximum of two cards, stored in separate places, not together in the same wallet. Take only the cash you expect to spend that day. Everything else stays locked up at your accommodation.
Split Everything if You Are Travelling as a Couple
Divide cards and cash between both people before you head out. If one person gets pickpocketed, the other still has everything needed to keep the day going. One bad moment does not have to become a crisis for both of you.
Leave Your Passport at the Hotel
Depending on the country you visit, your passport is almost certainly not needed while you are out sightseeing. Losing it abroad creates a level of complexity that can genuinely derail a trip, emergency appointments at embassies, replacement costs, and potential delays to onward travel. The risk of carrying it daily is not worth it (unless local laws require you to).
Most destinations accept a photo of your passport on your phone for basic identification purposes. Check what is required in your specific destination before you go, but in most cases leaving the original secured at the hotel is the right call.
The Simple Principle
Limit what can go wrong in the moment. You cannot always prevent being targeted, but you can control how much is at risk if something does happen.
Share this with whoever you are travelling with before your next trip.