The importance of awareness cannot be understated when it comes to your personal safety. This applies to the security in your home, your vehicle and your own personal space when out in public. The key to any security situation is to recognize what your vulnerabilities are, so you can then minimize them. Muggings often occur when the victim is unaware, and muggers seek out crimes of opportunity where they have an advantage and are less likely to get caught.


It is therefore important to avoid these types of situations whenever possible by recognizing them when they occur and immediately changing the circumstances.

Common Methods

Muggers are looking to find victims they have an advantage over that they can intimidate. This is usually accomplished either through numbers (such as three or four muggers surrounding one or two victims) or through a weapon such as a gun or a knife that shifts the power balance in their favor. They then need to isolate the victim from witnesses and other sources of help. Many muggers do their robbing at night, but don’t let your guard down just because the sun is out. People walking by themselves make good targets, especially if they are inebriated or distracted by something such as a cellphone. Targets that look like they’ll have money on them are also more appealing.

Muggers frequently act casual on first contact, and won’t necessarily demand money right away. They’ll often ask for a cigarette, spare change or for what time it is to get closer without drawing suspicion.

The small-talk also helps to keep you distracted and off-guard.

Avoiding Problems

• Avoid being out alone after dark when you can avoid it. This isn’t always feasible, but it does reduce your risk.
• Stay in well-lit areas at night, especially when outdoors. Muggers prefer dark areas where they are less likely to be seen.
• Stay in public areas when you can with as many people around as possible. A route close to a main road is likely safer than a shortcut through an alley or a park.
• Walk in a confidant manner with your head held high. Looking down is seen as a sign of submissiveness or inattentiveness, making you a better target. Avoid eye contact with people you perceive as threatening, because this can be seen as a challenge that provokes violence. However, the perception of confidence indicates that you’re a more challenging target and not necessarily worth the effort.
• Keep valuables hidden when out in public, especially when somewhere you are not familiar with.
• Avoid using your cellphone or your headphones when out in public by yourself. Anything that shows you’re not paying attention to your environment makes you a more attractive target.
• Trust your instincts. If you have a bad feeling about an area or a person, leave the area as soon as possible.

Preparation

If you are going somewhere where theft or mugging concerns you, carry a dummy wallet with you with fake cards and few dollars in it. Hand it over in the event of a robbery. If you start feeling like you are somewhere unsafe, find an area with more people or seek out the nearest police station. If a mugging occurs, hand over possessions without argument and avoid confrontation as much as possible. Your safety is worth more than any possessions. The one exception is if the mugger wants you to get into a car. At that point, it becomes a kidnapping and you are better trying to escape than getting into a vehicle. Think about these situations ahead of time, because you have very little time to react or form a plan when they occur.

Muggings are scary situations. Never think that they can’t happen to you, and do your best to avoid situations where you become more of a target. There is no guaranteed solution to ensure you don’t get victimized. There are no easy answers on how to react when a mugging occurs. However, these guidelines help you reduce risk while formulating a plan so you aren’t caught completely off-guard in an emergency where your safety is at risk. In these types of situations, it is always better to plan ahead.