Thanks, Pointeater, for an intelligent discussion! ^

In answer to one of the posts (not yours) on a preceding page, one reason Americans experience pickpocketing more in Europe than in the U.S. is that when traveling, they have funds available on their person--stashed in a wallet, in a money belt, whatever. And they have more funds than when just going to the neighborhood convenience store in the U.S. So it makes more logistical sense that they are going to be seen more as targets as tourists. @:-)

I've posted before on my experiences with pickpocketing in Italy in this thread, and I've posted in another thread about being watchful of "the real thing" when it comes to having one's picture taken with the official Roman actor/gladiators (whose sums are more reasonable) vs. those who will try to extort money, but there are other two incidents I have just been reminded of. They are not pickpocketing incidents but they are points for caution.

1. In Spain, several years ago, we were standing in line to pay admission to go into a cathedral. The line snaked out and past a gate. Before one ever got to inside the gate where the ticket stand was, there was a mock "ticket stand" set up and taking money. The catch was, after people paid their money to the mock ticket stand, they stood in line still, only to reach the real ticket stand and learn they had just made their contribution to the financial welfare of the "friendly people at the stand."

2. Once in Paris, DH and I had just arrived and gone out to stand in a taxi line. We had our standard two suitcases. When the cab driver pulled up, someone not in uniform rushed up, took our suitcases, and put them into the trunk. DH tipped him. The man stood there and said, "Is Not Enough." Cost my DH about $20 until the man was satisfied and would leave us alone and the cab took off. It was obviously an extortionist who waited around for his chance. But the cab driver could not have cared less what happened and did not try to help us. This was on one of our first trips to Paris, so we didn't have the confidence we would have now to refuse.

EDITED TO ADD: Then there are said to be a few restaurants, primarily in Hungary, I believe (though I've forgotten the specifics) in which they present the unfortunate tourist a bill for something like a thousand dollars. Also, some taxis (again, I've forgotten where) quote a certain rate for a drive, and then inform the tourists that the rate quoted was for one person only--or, worse, stop the cab and refuse to go farther without additional payment. (Though these matters are becoming OT, since the topic was specifically pickpocketing in Rome.)