Guest post courtesy of Liza Cornfield:
I was incredibly lucky to be on a free spring break trip while studying abroad. After visiting Prague and Berlin, my luck unfortunately ran out in Amsterdam. Our group was hanging out in the bar of one of our hostels. I walked about 10 feet away in order to make a call and had just hung up the phone when out of nowhere a man came running at me, grabbed my phone, and sprinted off. I took about 2-3 running steps before I froze (realizing that it would probably be a bad idea to chase after him). The bartender leaped over the bar and chased the guy for a while and the police arrived within minutes. We watched the surveillance and they found an apology note he left for me saying he’s sorry but needs the phone more than I do. I went down to the station to make a statement and didn’t stop shaking until several days later.
Pro tip: When using your phone in public, try to use two hands and have a tight grip. Also in general, be aware of all surroundings, especially in unfamiliar territory.