Female Senior Citizens and Purse Snatching
I have read several articles recently about older women having their purses snatched. I am a 70 year old female senior citizen and realize that women who are older are perfect victims for purse snatchers. Mainly, because they are not able to defend themselves as well as a younger, more alert and strong person. Being a female senior citizen, this concerns me personally.
Did you know that statistics are that the majority of purse snatchers are young men under the age of 18? They are quicker, stronger and more alert, so an older woman would be a prime target for them.
By the way, if you try to hold on to your purse or resist in any way, there is always the possibility that you could fall and break a hip. Older people don’t have the balance they once did when they were younger. And for some reason, we tend to fall differently. When we are younger we are able to think quick enough to try and brace our fall. But as we get older, we don’t always think to do that, therefore we are more prone to broken bones.
There are a lot of challenges being a senior citizen. Just to name a few:
- Balance,
- Difficulty hearing
- Impaired vision
- Forgetfulness
- Our side peripheral vision is not as good as it once was
Personally, I have to admit carrying a purse is just one more thing to keep up with when I’m out and about. And now we have to remember to have our cell phones with us at all times as well as our keys and our and purses. It’s just too much! So it’s very important to eliminate as many opportunities of having your purse snatched as possible.
Scenarios for Purse Snatchers:
- It’s not a good idea to go shopping alone. If possible, go with a friend.
- I know better, but I have been guilty of walking a few feet away from the grocery cart at the grocery store with my purse in it. NOT a good idea. Never leave your purse open or unattended.
- Waiting for a bus at a bus stop.
- Areas that are not well lit at night.
Common Sense Ideas:
If it’s at all possible, leave your purse at home. Put the credit card and/or checkbook in your pants or jacket pocket. That way, the opportunity is eliminated entirely. For some reason, we tend to think that we have to have all of our credit cards, checkbooks, etc with us at all times.
- A good investment would be a Fanny or Belt Pack. Granted they certainly aren’t very pretty, and you can’t carry very much in them. But they have the advantage of fitting snugly around your waist and are easily accessible when you need them. You can even wear them under your shirt or jacket. They have just enough room for a little cash, a credit card and your driver’s license, all the things that are necessary for a shopping trip.
- And for goodness sake, don’t be guilty of putting your name or address on your keys. Then you not only have lost your purse, but you have the added worry of knowing the person now knows where you live.
- One idea that works for me, if I think of it, is to put my purse at the bottom of the grocery cart before I start shopping. That way, someone would have to literally empty my cart to get to my purse.
Carry a Purse if You Must
Some of us old timers think a purse is a necessity. So if you really have to take a purse with you only carry whatever is absolutely necessary. Leave all unnecessary valuable items at home.
If you do carry a credit card, it’s a good idea to make a copy of the number and phone number so you can call and report it as lost or stolen.
Ways to Protect Yourself
- For under $10.00, you can have a small container of Pepper Spray or Mace. Pepper spray often has a quick release key chain that allows you to separate your keys from the pepper spray container. It sprays up to 10 feet and will temporarily blind your attacker.
- There are inexpensive personal alarms that can be put on your key chain. If you are in harm’s way, just a touch of a button will send off a high decibel crisis alarm and send the perpetrator packing!
- There is an alarm that fits around your wrist and also attaches to your purse. If someone tries to grab your purse, the pull of the purse will set off an alarm immediately. In most cases, the person will drop the purse and run for their life.
Remember, when you carry a purse, it’s always in plain sight. That, in itself gives the purse snatcher a golden opportunity to just grab it and run. Always take precautions and protect yourself!
Don’t be a Victim!
Lawanna Bean is passionate about marketing products that will help people stay safe. The products she found are top quality and competitively priced. Most of us can’t afford an expensive home security system, but that’s no reason we can’t be protected. A canister of mace or Pepper Spray costs under $10.00. Personal safety for you and your family should be your No. 1 priority!
Be sure and visit her website, http://www.peppersprayetcstore.com. Get informed and take action today!
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