Drinkers put themselves at risk of theft 'every three minutes'

Drinkers in London bars are leaving themselves vulnerable to thieves and bag snatchers every three minutes, according to a psychologist.

In a study of the behaviour of people in bars David Moxon says he was astonished by how careless people were with their belongings.

About a third of the customers he observed displayed "risky behaviour" about the security of their personal belongings - placing them out of sight, but easily accessible to thieves.

Men were among the worst offenders, he said. About half of those he observed took risks with their phones and bags, often getting carried away socialising and forgetting about their possessions.

However, couples were most likely to become theft victims because they were most likely to trust each other to look after each other's belongings.

Mr Moxon spent two and half hours watching fellow customers in Gordon's Wine Bar in Charing Cross.

The study was commissioned by life assistance company CPPGroup which claims that 1.7 million people have had their personal possessions stolen in the run-up to Christmas.

Nearly one in five victims had items stolen in a bar or pub, with 15 per cent experiencing theft in a nightclub, according to a poll of 2,000 people carried out by the firm.

Mr Moxon said he saw a potential theft opportunity every three minutes while he watched drinkers in Gordon's.

He said: "I could not believe that people could be so careless. Men seemed to be particularly careless, leaving their possessions, such as bags, on the ground and out of sight. It may be that there is a careless streak in men that when they start socialising they forget their valuables."

He added: "If you're happy and enjoying yourself it's easy to think 'happy thoughts' about the venue and people around you which could lead to over-trustfulness."

Mr Moxon said that higher levels of oxytocin, which is the "bonding" hormone, may lead to increased levels of trust.

Simon Gordon, the owner of Gordon's, has installed a crime-fighting CCTV system. The system allows shops and bars to report thefts instantly online and alerts retailers that a thief is at large.

Tom Harle, 28, a web designer, was in a pub in Brixton when he had his wallet stolen one evening this month.

He said: "I'd had a few drinks and was probably not paying as much attention as I should have done to my things. I had a small wallet which I left in my coat on a table while I got up to do something. I did not notice that it was gone until the next morning.

"I cancelled the cards that I could remember but two weeks later the wallet was randomly posted back to me. It contained my driving licence with my address and another credit card which I had forgotten to cancel. The card had been used to its limit on adult internet services.

I had trouble reclaiming the money because I had not reported it."