Chinese tourists in Paris are perceived as tempting targets because they often carry lots of cash.

It's known as the City of Light, but it risks becoming known as the city of the light-fingered.

Paris, the most visited city in the world by many counts, has been suffering a spate of pickpocketing -- and one of its main targets appears to be that relatively new group of tourists, the Chinese.

Petty crimes against Chinese nationals have jumped 22% in the city this year, according to Paris police.

Chinese visitors are thought to be particularly tempting because of a cultural preference for carrying cash over credit cards, the South China Morning Post reported.

They could also often be distracted more easily than some more experienced tourists.

Twitter warnings

Outraged visitors to Paris -- as well as Parisians themselves -- have posted warnings against the pickpocketing epidemic on Twitter.

"The annual August exodus from Paris has begun, the 7th arrondissement is deserted, only beggars, pickpockets ... and tourists [remain]," reads one post.

Another tweet warns, in French, of the latest pickpocketing technique: a thief pretends to be disabled and asks for your seat on the metro, only to relieve you of your possessions as you clumsily swap places.

A further post succinctly sums up the pickpockets' recent nationality bias: "Chinese tourists hate credit cards; French pickpockets love their cash."

【巴黎窃贼瞄准中国游客 反扒指南为你支招】相关文章：

★ 大象选美：大块头也有美丽容颜

★ 热门事件学英语：微博实名制 你怎么看？

★ 朝鲜因技术缺陷推迟火箭发射

★ 271件毕加索作品重见天日？

★ 美国共和党松动对富人增税的立场

★ 渣打悲剧中谁是真正的恶人？

★ 以色列开枪一名巴勒斯坦人被打死

★ “福利国家”是如何养成的？

★ 英皇后人选引热议 卡梅伦力挺卡米拉

★ 双语：中国人均寿命增速有点慢