Carry “mugger’s money”



Tatiana Ayazo/Rd.com

Kathy Ortwein* was waiting alone at a Jersey City, New Jersey, bus stop when a gang of teenagers grabbed her purse and ran. Incensed, she chased after them, only to be hit over the head with a roll of coins and slammed against a car. She wasn’t seriously hurt, but she did learn a hard lesson. “The best way to defend yourself in a crime like this is to not defend yourself,” she says. “When the bus arrived, I should have just asked the driver to call the police.”

Tony Blauer, CEO of Blauer Tactical Systems, which specializes in personal-safety training, agrees. In fact, when you’re in an environment where robbery is possible (a sketchy neighborhood or a foreign country), carry “mugger’s money,” he says. Keep it in a wallet separate from other valuables or in an outside pocket where you can quickly access it. If approached, hand it over. If you get roughed up, step back onto grass or even sit on a bench to lessen the chance of injury in a fall.

“Usually, though, once you hand over that money,” Blauer says, “the mugger will be satisfied, and he’ll run.”