Anyone familiar with local information, taking time to regularly post guidance on this board is indeed doing a good deed and most of us are grateful for that.

However, over zealous defense can unintentionally give someone false sense of security when they should be really on their guard.

Rome has had this pickpocket paradise reputation for decades (along with barcelona). Expansion of EU, illegal immigration, etc are the usual explanation (which may or may not be true)

If one searches other travel blogs such as Crusie Critic or Rick Steves or TA, pickpocket attempt cases in Rome are not that uncommon. Sure, pickpocket can happen in any crowded touristy place in any city in the world. But, probability seems to be slightly higher in Italian cities than in some other European countries.

Being "safe" city is a relative term. Sure, gun violence may not be there. Probability of getting mugged may be less than that in certain parts of many US cities. But pickpocket attempt probability seems to be significantly higher here in Rome compared to say New York. Also, it is one thing for a resident (or a frequent visitor) to lose a wallet. It is total nightmare for a first time tourist on a tight schedule.

"I jay-walked on 5th avenue and didnt get hit by car" argument does not make advice for waiting for green signal unwise.

Both pickpocketing and taxi scamming in big Italian cities are real irritants especially for a tourist. Experienced both first hand couple of weeks ago. Felt hand inside right pocket that had to be slapped away. Taxi scamming (that I could recognize) was in 3 cases out of roughly 10.
a) Turning off meter in middle of the ride
b) insisting on 50 euro fixed price from vatican to pantheon (day time)
c) 9 euro outbound but 20+ euro on return (both times no traffic and in day time) for a 1.2 mile ride.

So either you are very lucky or people who get victimized are unusually unlucky or a problem DOES exist.

Crime safety statistics and pickpocket probability are not always well-correlated. Italy may very well be the 35th safest country in the world by the standards and criteria employed by the organization doing that particular ranking. But the pickpocket probability for an average american tourist seems to be significantly higher in Italy then say in Japan and it will be foolhardy not to take extra precautions. (more than what one takes in New York or Tokyo)

In three Italian cities, at the time of checking in at the hotel advice was along the line of "Hotel is in very safe area even at late night. Just that the the city is full of pickpockets especially in crowded touristy places and in buses - dont carry anything more than what you actually must have for your outing". Doubt you will hear that advice unsolicited in Tokyo or even New York (but might in Barcelona) even though that is sound advice anywhere in the world.

If problem is not real and tourists are just being over cautious then the cost is only the anxiety of being over cautious.
If problem is real but based on advice on this thread one get into false sense of security ("just be careful as one would in any city. Italy does not have problem any more than anywhere else in the world", then potential cost is huge when pickpocket does happen.

For an American tourist on a 3-day visit which has higher probability:
a) Getting Ebola by simply visiting an urban city in West Africa
b) Getting Zika by visiting Sau Paulo in Brazil
c) Getting malaria form mosquito bite in Thailand
d) Pickpocket attempt in Rome/Venice