I got pickpocketed three times in Europe, twice in Spain, once in Athens. The “Omonia” metro stop is supposed to be really bad, and sure enough, that’s where my incident happened.
The first two times, I kept my wallet in my backpack. The bad guy saw me take it out to make a purchase, then put it back in and keep walking. He or she then closely followed me and got it out. So don’t keep your wallet in your backpack. Also I had my ipod in so I couldn’t hear well.
In Athens, the guy tried to grab my whole purse. It was hanging off my shoulder, rather than crossing my body (my sling for my broken arm was crossing my body and conflicted). Keep your purse crossed!
It seems like you can’t blend in, being in a large group, so you should take precautions. Keep your wallet in a purse you can clutch or in a pocket with a zipper or button. Definitely spit up your money, and I’d advise not bringing a bank card with you (you’ll have to cancel it, then you’ll be without money, unless you have other sources). Keep your eyes and ears open and be aware of your surroundings, holding your possessions close. Be aware of rouses with groups to distract you while someone else does the picking (looking at a map, etc.) Don’t accept babies from gypsy women to hold, obvs.
Only carry as much money as you’ll need that day, so it won’t be a huge tragedy if you get picked. Good luck!