Beware of Theft in Rome
 

I don't know if I'm allowed to post this here, but just returned from several days in Rome and a Med cruise. I cannot tell you how may stories I heard about people being robbed in Italy. It was shocking.
One story I heard was a woman booking a hotel room at the desk at Termini Station and her purse was taken.
Another was a woman waiting at the train station in San Marino. A guy said there was something on her back. She said it looked and smelled like vomit. When she turned to see it he took her purse.
One more was about two young women who approached a man, each took him by an arm as if to flirt while a third ran up and grabbed his wallet.
So if this post stays here and you get to read it BEWARE.

Some it is bound to be true, but the travellers' world is also full of urban legends.

The first time I went to NY I was advised to always walk right in the middle of the pavement because if I stayed close to the kerb my bag would be grabbed from passing cars while if I stayed close to the buildings people would knife from doorways and grab my bag.

Seriously?

This is the dumbest post I've read in a while. Theft in Italy? New York?

Shocking. Just shocking.

There is a FT Scam thread, where it covers many similar scams around the world.

I've had all sorts of fun around the world, but am usually pretty careful.

you sure you not in barcelona(or nyc, or paris,venice or london???) we went to venice and to barcelona this year. the overheard conversations at breakfast"...i only put it down for a minute.....

thank god i am here in washington dc, and baltimore, where there is no crime.

On the contrary, after having lived in Rome for several years, I can say that the OP's scenarios are not at all in the realms of fiction.

Many of the stories came from Italians rather than expatriates - so probably give more credence to sceptics. The OP didn't mention the Vespa-rider-stealing-handbag-from-passing-pedestrian, for example - happened to a colleague of mine.

The Italian police just don't want to know. There was a famous article in The Economist in the late 1980s (things don't change!) where one of their reporters who was robbed in the street and had the registration of the car involved except for the last digit, went immediately to a police station. The police did nothing for two hours (said reporter saw them watching television in an adjacent room). When this was exposed in an article in The Economist, the Italian press claimed it couldn't be true because the reporter "refused" to give his name in the article. [The Economist had a strict policy of not naming its reporters].

Just watch your stuff. We were in Italy for two weeks last fall and didn't hear any stories like this.

I was in Rome a few weeks ago (late May). Do watch out for pickpockets in the subway. They tried to pick my wallet, but I was aware of it and put a stop to it. The exact same scenario also happened to me a few years ago: a lady (usually a gypsy) with a satchel or a bag would stand close to you. She'll use the bag to hide her hands from you while she explores your pockets. Both times, I grabbed her hand as it was in my pocket, and I seriously considered breaking one of her fingers.

Metro stations in Rome often have long escalators going up or down. I always try to use the stairs as they are less crowded and I get some exercise. If you do use the escalators, stand facing sideways so you can see both up and down. If you just look ahead (like 99% of the people), somebody can run by, yank your purse and disappear before you have time to react. I saw this happen in the Philippines.

Obviously you have to be carefull in all large cities around the world while traveling. But this video might learn you something(it was helpfull for me)! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tO6CF...eature=related

The OP talks of hearing about theft. I can assure it's not myth. My husband and I were standing in the Piazza Barberini in Rome, taking our time to decide which direction we wanted to walk next, a mistake right there. A young boy of about ten came up on my left and asked the time. Despite knowing better, I instinctively started to look at my watch, raised my arm slightly and thought, this isn't good. Meanwhile my husband bumbed into me on my right, grabbed my arm and we took off, leaving behind two boys and a grown woman who was behind him and whom he knocked to the ground when we ran off. He said he only saw the boy, not the woman. In any event, she would have only taken a dummy wallet he carries in places that are subject to this sort of thing....carries his wallet in a buttoned blazer pocket and I only take one credit card, a comb and a lipstick in my purse. Saw a young lady sobbing at the ticket booth at the Colosseum. Had a dodgy experience in Madrid, but quickly moved away and blended into a crowd. Luckily never had anything taken, but it CAN happen.

The best advice was given to me by an Italian woman who was in the same sleeper cabin as me from Paris to Florence. She said to constantly put your arm over your bag, because there are syndicates who would slash through the front of the bag to access the contents, but they generally do not want you to get hurt so keep your arm across your bag!

Moneybelt....

Great invention.

Yes the money belt is a great invention. I use it on all of my trips Internationally.

Also on a more serious note when I studied abroad two years ago during one of our pre-departure meetings our professors who were traveling with us made a big point of how to avoid getting robbed or getting scammed. Just follow some common sense advice
1. Don't carry large amounts of cash. If you have to put it in your money belt.
2. Wear your purse like a messenger bag.
3. Wear All Backpacks the opposite way that you would usually wear them.
4. Don't stop for people trying to bother you just keep going.

So you have no fear of crime within the US?

I've personally felt far safer in Rome than in many US cities, including my own.

Depends where I am. I felt very safe in Europe to be honest. You just need to use common sense.

Regarding the US. Depends where I am. In my hometown No but if I am in Detroit yea sure.