Author Anna Kloots has revealed she was recently robbed of valuables while traveling on a French train with her boyfriend, describing the moment as "scary" and "vulnerable."
The memoirist and content creator, who lives in Paris, was on a six-hour journey train journey with her boyfriend when the thief unzipped their bags and stole laptops and jewelry. A fellow passenger spotted the thief, who was later arrested by the police.
French police later told Kloots that the thief had most likely profiled the couple and followed them onto the train to rob them.
Kloots, who wrote the memoir My Own Magic: A Reappearing Act, shared the experience on her Instagram. She also detailed the precautions her fans can take to avoid being robbed on trains.
Describing what happened, Kloots says she and her French boyfriend boarded an evening train from Antibes to Paris.
Due to the small space of the overhead compartment, Kloots' boyfriend was forced to put the bookbag—containing their laptops, passports and Kloots' jewelry—under his seat. The couple, Kloots admits, soon lost focus as they plugged in headphones and began watching a series on her phone—giving the thief opportunity to subtly access their bag and open it.
"As we're doing that, I think over the course of 15 minutes. The man behind us is taking the straps of the book bag and really gently and softly pulling."
The thief then unzipped the bag and removed their valuables.
"Thankfully the woman sitting on the opposite side of the aisle next to us happened to look back," says Kloots. "She saw him holding two laptops and started freaking out. So obviously we start panicking, we turn around and we see the guy. He's a normal-looking guy."
Kloots' boyfriend then confronted the thief and demanded he give back what he had taken. The thief then gave back the passports and laptop.
"I don't realize he also has my jewelry,' explains Kloots. "You're in this moment of panic trying to figure out what's missing. In this moment of panic, he gets up and leaves."
The thief then locked himself in the train bathroom—located near to the train exit door—with the plan to get off at the next stop, says Kloots.
Thankfully, however, train staff managed to open the bathroom door and apprehend the man, who was then searched by police.
"They find tons of my jewelry stuffed in his pockets," says Kloots.
Kloots and her boyfriend then filed a report and the thief was taken to a local police station.
A second police officer later told Anna and her boyfriend that the man—who did not have a train ticket—had likely "picked" them on the platform and followed them onto the train to their seats.
"He'll pick someone with a distraction," says Kloots. "Someone who's traveling with a kid or traveling with a pet. Or traveling with their significant other because they're more likely to be distracted and not realize if someone is taking your bag or if someone is taking your stuff.
Kloots also advised her fans that to avoid theft on trains, they should choose their seats carefully.
"Try to book a seat right next the door, then you are next to the luggage rack for your large suitcase and won't have a passenger behind you that can reach under your seat for smaller bags that have to go under the seat."
She also advised locking your luggage, trying to travel with as little baggage as possible and not falling asleep on a train unless you are physically holding your bags.
"NEVER let valuables out of your sight or your guard down."
Kloots caveated all this saying it was not meant to be a scaremongering exercise "This is not meant to scare you or make you feel like France isn't safe or the train isn't safe. This is just to make you more aware and give you tips so what happened to me doesn't happen to you," she said.
Newsweek reached out to Kloots via Instagram for more information.
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