Don't wear iPod earbuds on the subway

It's a sad fact that you may occasionally find "unsavory" characters on the subway. It's also true that people have been mugged for their iPods. Savvy commuters know how to protect themselves, but San Francisco transit police are offering some official advice. In a flyer entitled "Protect Yourself and your iPod," posted at BART stations, they share some crime statistics (did you know that there are only 15 robberies system-wide per month on BART, but 11% of those involve iPod theft?) and a safety tip:

"Don't be a target: Use ear buds other than the standard iPod white, or other aftermarket headphones."

I ditched my earbuds first thing, but not for safety reasons. Soon enough everyone with headphones will be targets. In the meantime, protect yourself. Either grow your hair long or, better yet, pay attention to your surroundings.

[Via The Apple Blog]