Rome pickpockets
 

My wife and I will be in Rome the week after next. I have read all the travel books and each and every one of them mentions the possibility of runing into pick pockets. Of course my wife is now thinking about hiring a Brinks Truck to protect her pocketbook from these attacks but I have travelled extensively in areas that were supposed to include these scoundrels and have never run into any. So I'm asking all the seasoned travelers who have ventured into Rome: what should I look out for?;where should I avoid?;are there any precautions that you have taken to thwart off any attempts on your valuables?I also welcome any and all suggestions.Thanks.

Let's see if we can get some good answers from our readers of our Travel->Italy forum. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz

Thank you.

When I was planning my trip to Italy this summer I to noticed all the pickpocket warnings. I used a money belt for my wallet and room key. At first it was annoying but I soon got used to it. I was in Rome, Florence, and Venice and the only time I felt like was being violated was by the Coliseum. There are some steps across the street we went up and I was carrying a stroller. Suddenly about 3 Gypsy girls came up to me and started to grab my arms begging for money. I am sure they were checking out my pockets. I carried all of the money when we went out, my wife left her bag and wallet in the hotel room.

Thankfully I've never had a problem with pickpockets in Rome and I used to go there every few months for a couple of years or so (both business and leisure). I always keep my money in a front jeans pocket along with my wallet - would never put anything in a back pocket. Leave your passport and spare cash / cards at the hotel in a safe.

The real advice I would give you is to watch out around the Termini Railway station and major tourist attractions. Just be watchful but don't let it ruin your holiday.

The other critical advice is taxis. Don't take them unless they have been ordered for you by the hotel or someone you trust. Hailing a taxi at Termini or the airport is almost certainly going to get you ripped-off! Double, tripple or even more than the standard fare.

Regards

lme ff etc etc

I've been a few times, and always kept loose cash and cards on me in my front pocket. It's just a case of being wary and being vigilant when in certain areas like on the Metro or around very busy sights such as the Trevi Fountain - don't worry about it too much, it's not as bad as they make out.

The area around Termini Station is notorious as are the metros. This is where the gypsy groups congregate. They will try to get your attention - usually through shock (i.e., holding a dead pigeon on a newspaper in front of you) and you become so focused on the object you forget your pocket/purse and they grab it.

Use common sense and you'll be fine. For example, if your hotel provides room safes - then use them.

Well, let me count the ways. will probably miss a few. over the past 30 or so years,

Rome rail station. Grab from top of wife's carry-on. she was getting out her prescription sun glasses. lost them.

Rome via condatti 2 small girls one threw confetti at us, the other tried to grab wife's purse. nothing lost.

Marseille france. wife was making a phone call. put 2 coins worth about $1 on top of the pay phone. someone charged into her back and grabbed the coins.

paris. a strong youth ran rammed into the back of me at a Metro turnstyle. the turnstyle locked, he picked my right FRONT pocket. note that, all you front pocket guys.

venice wife had a new backpack with drawstrings. someone flipped it over while on a crowded vaperetto. she had so much junk in there , maybe something was missing, maybe not.

florence. woman of group of 3 had doll that looked like baby. jammed it into wife's chest and tried to grab purse.

paris train station group tried to grab over the shoulder bags while we were dragging suitcases from someplace to other place. wife dropped suitcases and went for them with an umbrella and they scattered.

paris in front of maurice hotel. large contingent of youths surrounded us. jack nickleson entourage came walking up the street, and they scattered.

had 2 agressive car breakins also.

get under clothing wallets. keep everything you want to keep in them. If carrying a purse, carry only replaceables in it. get a decent point and shoot camera and use it, not a million dollar slr with 20 lenses.

those sport coats with 50 million buried zip pockets are nice to hide stuff. I just cannot find anything in them, once it goes in there.

I take an opposite approach to pickpockets. Give them what they want!

When traveling, I keep my wallet and ID in a secure place such as a money belt. However, in my back pocket, I have an old wallet filled with sample credit cards that come in the mail. Of course, I only use the cards that do not have my name on them. Additionally, my son had some play money that looked perfectly real on the front but was blank on the reverse. I stuffed a couple hundred dollars of this fake stuff in my wallet too.

Ironically, this wallet has gone on many trips with me... just begging to be picked yet it never has! If it ever does get picked, I would pay real money to see the look on the gypsy kid as they run around the corner and into an alley to check out their prize. :D

The day after we landed in Rome we were in the subway and my husband's wallet was stolen. It was in his back pocket. This is a man endowed with ample common sense who lived in NYC for years. All I can do is chalk it up to jet lag. Fortunately, it was mostly credit cards and his driver's license, all replaceable with a little effort. AE's office is in a nice area near the Spanish Steps so we got to do a little extra sightseeing. (A couple days later he felt someone in the subway groping his back pocket again.) He also got his front pocket picked of about $200 in rubles after being rushed by a group of gypsies in St. Petersburg- we think they may have followed us from the ATM.

Now I carry most of the money and credit cards! They go in a purse under my clothes. I carry a cloth tote bag with food and whatever souvenirs we've picked up- nothing it would be heartbreaking to lose.

On subway trains be wary of the people closest to the doors- people who are planning to grab and run like to be close to the exit. Also be aware of any odd moves- my husband noticed 3 guys who got onto a train and one deliberately moved in between the 2 of us. He thought that it might have been to block my view of whatever his accomplice was planning to do. We moved back together. Paranoid? Maybe, but we have reason to be!

Baiting, I like that.

I had a friend in college, he was kind of small, but a wrestler. He was walking through Denver suburb one night when a mugger jumped him from behind and demanded his wallet. He put a reversal move on him, pinned him, and demanded the money he had him. Only got about $7 but it sounds like the same satisfaction you hope to get.

On our last trip, my husband may have come close to having his wallet taken. We had just gotten onto a crowded metro, having barely made it on. We were standing at the door. I noticed a well-dressed man in his twenties about two-to-three feet to my left and a well-dressed woman, also in her twenties, just at my left side. My husband was in front, with his back turned to me. The man and woman did not appear to be together, but I noticed that he made eye contact with her and almost imperceptibly nodded.

She moved to between my husband (specifically to behind his back pocket) and myself. I noticed she was carrying, not a shawl, but something fairly largish which hid her right arm--an arm which was closing the inches to my husband's back pocket.

It was at that moment that it finally occured to me--be alert! @:-) Until then, I had just been thinking how relieved I was that DH and I had made it onto the metro.

I said something like "Watch it!" to DH. A number of people turned around and stared. (The youngish man and woman never changed facial expressions. They might have been thinking of the moon, for all their faces indicated.) I moved so that I came between the young woman and my husband's back pocket.

Who knows if she had intended to pick his pocket? It could have been quite innocent. The two youngish people seemed quite innocent. Still--.

On a previous visit, while we were walking through Termini, I noticed a middle-aged man coming up behind us with his gaze fixed on my husband's back pocket. I made eye contact (think a smiling female Clint Eastwood attitude :D ) and we had no more trouble.

This time we also got ripped off by a cab from Termini. But that wasn't major. I actually felt sorry for the cabdriver. The cabdriver's boss at Termini had pursued us through the station arguing that their cab had a meter, etc., etc. He actually had pointed to something in the cab that he said was a meter. Well, it wasn't. And when we got to the Cavalieri, the cabdriver made an excuse not to go into the Cavalieri driveway but rather dropped us off at the front, presumably because his type of cab wouldn't be allowed in there. Anyhow--even if the cabdrivers were crooks, they weren't successful crooks. The overcharge was something like an extra 20 euros. Annoying, of course, but not anything like losing a wallet.

But yes, cabs at Termini can be a real problem unless they are metered.

And on subways, especially if you are near the doors and are distracted--you should be very watchful.

Brilliant! You gotta love Jack. He certainly knows how to make an entrance.

tried the fake wallet thing too
 

have long been a proponent of putting the real money, passport etc in a hidden waist wallet, so in Italy last month, I had one of my kids wallets with monopoly money in my back pocket... no takers. But in Rome, watched as a gypsy picked the back pocket of a girl not five feet from me! there's pickpockets everywhere but it does seem generally the further south you go in Italy, the more aggressive they are. just use common sense and have fun-its just part of travel

These replies covered almost everything that I came across, but here are a few repeats and one more.

Beware of a group of kids near you on any metro station or bus stop, especially with the "what time is it question". (for us.....it was the Paris Metro, and I felt the hand in my front pocket, and stopped it)

When walking down the streets, window shopping, pay attention to what is behind you. If you happen to notice the same person window shopping every time that you stop and look into a window, it's time to go the other way, or stop for a coffee. (Paris and Rome, for us) With cell phones, you can be passed down the line to an accomplice. In Paris, (Mouffetard St), every time that we stopped, we stopped hearing the clicking of high heels not far behind us. She had a cell phone to her ear all of the time. We went a different way, and lo and behold, were followed by a guy with a cell phone for a short distance, until we stopped, looked at him, and let him walk past us. He knew that we knew.

The crowded lines in McDonalds are prime spots. They watch you reaching to a certain pocket as you approach the counters. They know tourists and Americans, especially with kids, will probably go there. I know people that lost their wallets in Rome and Siena. Luckily for us, we stayed away from McD, except for their well priced expresso at separate front counters. ^

Speaking of McDonald's, while at the train station in Florence, witnessed some guy walking away with an old couples attache case while we were in the line. We shouted out to the guy, and he dropped the bag and walked away. When we approached the couple, the lady said that some guy pointed to some currency bills on the floor and asked her whether her husband dropped them. She started to pick up the bills from the floor which obviously distracted her, and before you know it, someone was stealing her husband's attache case.

Just be vigilant and aware of your surroundings. I wore one of those money belts that had a belt loop and stuck this under my clothes, and for my own peace of mind, sealed my front jean pocket with a giant safety pin. Rather extreme but it helped me relax :) When we met a couple of gypsy kids walking towards us, we just crossed the street to avoid them.

Beware of churches & handbags on chairs
 

A friend of mine was sitting at a very chic outdoor restaurant and had her purse hanging over the back of her chair. Note to Women: Keep your handbag in your lap or between your feet. My friend's purse was snatched from the back of her chair. Also, another friend attended a church service in Rome and placed her handbag at her feet. Someone snatched her bag from the pew behind her. :(

I can't fathom how one could eat at a McDonald's when in such beautiful places, it's quite a sign of bad times.

OR VERY HOT WEATHER..(only airconditioned shops in Italy)

OR LOOKING FOR A TOILET...(only clean ones with paper too)


We would have to be the most security minded couple around, and in Rome they got my passport, a wonderful wad of low demonination world currency we used for our airport arrival transfers, and the hardest to replace was an airline ticket issued by a discounter.

How did they do it, they followed us onto the underground which we used to save a few dollars, and to experience it, and four of them in the crowed carriage jostled us and carried on an arguement around us. It was so well done, I can still remember it as if it was yesterday. We were not hurt, and we dined out on the story for ages, and we have put it down as an adventure. Mind you over all the years of travel, we have never lost our luggage, been delayed, never been searched or harrassed so we have been lucky.

Don't worry too much, just be careful of the things you value, regards bkkrop

I've had three attempts to rob me over the last year. None successful, so far. Once on the subway in Buenos Aires, once in Bucharest, and the last a couple of weeks ago in Quito, Ecuador. Two pickpockets, and the latter was a "run up from behind and try to grab something out of my front pocket". Exciting for sure. In general, I try to take only a small amount of money when I go out, so that at worse I lose $50-$200. No credit cards unless I'm going to take money out, and rarely my passport or other valuables.

There are lots of air conditioned shops and restaurants all over Italy! And as for clean toilets, they are always good in the restaurants and normally ok in the bars/cafes.

You are going to love Italy--don't be freaked out by the pickpocket possibility. We have been to Rome 4 times and , though we are obviously tourists, have never had any trouble. I do keep a watch on my purse and in crowds we are alert--but I do that in New York City too. Nice bathrooms are everywhere ( buy a little something if you are in a bar or restaurant) --and enjoy the challenge of finding out just how the current toilet flushes:) Do a lot of walking --one of the delights of Rome is how alive the streets are .

I agree with gungadin on every point. Tourists are the target of petty crime the world over. Rome is no better or worse. Taking common sense precautions and being aware of the usual scams is all that's required. Mrs. PTravel and I travel internationally fairly extensively and we've been to Rome a number of times. We've never been robbed, pick-pocketed or scammed anywhere in the world.

I know of several cases of that happening in Chicago, the Romans don't have a patent on that technique!

Thank you all. We will take to heart all your suggestions, especially using our room safe and securing undergarment wallets. All the life experience reports are especially appreciated. Sounds like using good common sense and being aware of your surroundings are the key.I really liked canew's suggestion of packing some monopoly money.:)

I've been a tourist in 40 of our 50 states over my lifetime, and I have never, not once, ever had anyone attempt to pick my pocket! Yet I've had an attempted pickpocketing in Rome, had two attempts to to steal my watch off my wrist (an old, ordinary looking Seiko with a plastic band) in Lima, Peru, and my wife's wallet was stolen in Amsterdam.

Feel free to draw your own conclusions!

Okay, I will: Because you're an American, you don't look or act like a tourist in the U.S., but you do when you're overseas.

I have no idea what point you're making by relating this experience, but if it is that the U.S. is immune to tourist crime, whereas Rome, Amsterdam, Lima and other foreign destinations are hot-beds of tourist-seeking criminality, then you're not particularly sufficiently familiar with either your own country or others, or you are a particularly inept foreign travelers.

This seems a bit harsh, on your part. I've been to 49 out of 50 states, and rarely have experienced any type of ripoffs in the US. They exist certainly, but aren't prevalent like some countries.

I often visit third world countries, and the ripoff factor there is much higher. They see light colored skin, and prices double, you have to be careful when out at night, especially in tourist areas.

This month, in Quito, I had someone attempt to rip me off. This area of Mariscal Sucre has tons of tourists in it, and the accompanying vultures as well. It was interesting, since the first week I was outside of the tourist area, and walked around extensively in the evening, and never had a single problem.

I visit 5-10 countries a year, with about 6 months spent outside the US. When I leave my hotel or apartment, I take only as much money as I think I'll need (usually $50-$100). A $200 digital camera, no credit cards unless I'm withdrawing money, and a copy of my passport. I've gone into favelas in Brazil, dicey areas of Lima, and was the only obvious tourist in parts of Jakarta, and never encountered a problem. However, I try to use common sense.

It may have been harsh, but, hey, it was early in the morning. It is still true, nonetheless. Again, if you're an American, your experience of tourist crime in America is going to be very different from that of a foreign visitor.

Rome and Amsterdam aren't in third-world countries.

That's not tourist crime.

I'm not sure what you mean by, "you have to be careful." You need to be careful wherever you travel because, as a tourist, you're an easy mark. However, common sense precautions are, almost always, all that is necessary, as evidenced by the number of people posting to this thread who, like myself, travel extensively to international destinations and have not been the victim of tourist crime.

Rip you off how? I've had plenty of people try to rip me off. None of them succeeded, because a little education about the tourist scams (which exist the world over) was all that was needed to avoid them.

See, that's just what I mean. You travel a lot, you take common sense precautions and, as a result, you don't have problems. That's exactly my point. I travel with expensive cameras but I, too, carry only a photocopy of my passport, use an inside-the-pants money belt for my credit cards and large cash, stay aware of who and what is around me, etc. I'm aware of the various "gypsy" scams (which are not limited to gypsies), never leave my camera gear unattended, etc.

Remember, the OP is asking about Rome, for crying out loud -- a center of civilization for thousands of years, home of the sophisticated fashion and food world, a great artistic center, and not, by any stretch of the imagination, a third-world country. If you're going to visit the Trevi Fountain, don't keep a fat wallet stuffed with credit cards on your hip. That's also true if you're going to walk through Times Square. To suggest, however, that Rome is particularly dangerous is just silly. As you note: common sense. That's all it takes.

I agree with much of what other posters have said, e.g. don't keep anything in back pockets, stay alert, etc. Rome is a great place, the people are great, and I've been back many times.

That said, Rome is the only place that I have ever been pickpocketed. I'm a fairly aware person, and have been to dozens of countries around the world, both first and third (and fourth) world, and have lived in Europe. My wife had her credit card and driver's license in her purse (aside from lipstick, that's all she was carrying), in the metro. The metro wasn't crowded; we made the mistake of relaxing our guard for a bit since the only other people near us were well-dressed, normal seeming people. A couple, in their late 20s, were near us, and as we left the train, one of them got my wife's cards. My wife knew immediately. There was no "distraction", doll/mustard/newspaper etc. They were pros. So don't be fooled just because someone doesn't "look" the part.

Got back to the hotel, and they knew the routine, called the credit card company for us (charges were already on the card, less than 45 minutes later), etc. The hotel staff said this happened very frequently.

From talking to other frequent travelers, most consider Rome to be pickpocket central for western Europe. YMMV. Only carry what you can lose/replace. But don't make avoiding pickpockets a preoccupation; otherwise, you won't enjoy one of the world's greatest, most enjoyable cities.

That's debatable. :D

I've had groups of suspect kids head my way on my trip to Rome last year. I immediately headed in a different direction. By being forewarned of problems, I think it can only help. This isn't to say that all of Rome is dangerous, but you do need to be cognizant of the problems.


I'm not sure what you mean by, "you have to be careful." You need to be careful wherever you travel because, as a tourist, you're an easy mark. However, common sense precautions are, almost always, all that is necessary, as evidenced by the number of people posting to this thread who, like myself, travel extensively to international destinations and have not been the victim of tourist crime.

By running behind me, and trying to pick my pocket. Luckily, I had just started to turn around, since there was another guy headed towards me from the opposite direction. In Bucharest, I caught a gypsy boy with his hand in my pocket.

Pan Handlers are the problem I encountered in San Francisco. Hit by 3 in a row near Union Square. Was waiting for a Cable Car to go back to Hotel but jumped a cab to get away.

Getting off the plane at TBIT was accosted by the Charity Scammers as soon as we left the terminal.

Back in 2004 was pan handled by a Black couple in the old Boardwalk Casino while wife was in the Internet Cafe. Security came but not before I was $10 poorer.

Avoid the scam people who try to distract you by acting drugged out or drunk. They often work in twos: one person staggers around and bumps into you or your wife and then while you are distracted, the other one pick pockets either your wife's purse or your pocket! Just be aware and don't let them get near you. Also, do not put all your money or credit cards in the same place as your passport. Keep a little bit of cash and credit cards in multiple places. Just be on the lookout and you'll be fine!

I have taken several precautions as a traveller.

1. Over the last 5 years, family travel has consisted of Mrs BamaVol, 2 teenage sons, and I. We have a drill. If I say "positions", we form a tight group, back to back. We haven't had to do that yet, but it's fun to practice.

2. Mrs BamaVol always walks between 2 men. She clutches her purse at all times, regardless of strap.

3. We try to remain as unencumbered as possible. No backpack. No waistpack. Camera on belt under jacket. Hands free to deal with trouble.

4. I bought a couple pair of travel pants from Travelsmith catalog. One back pocket has a zipper inside a button flap. The left front pocket has a zippered compartment. And, there is a hidden pocket inside the pants hanging from the waistband. I know I have a helluva time getting anything out of there and assume a pickpocket would too.

Are you saying that you were so intimidated by panhandlers that you coughed up $10? Unless there were 3 or more, and they were circling me in a dark alley, I wouldn't give up a penny. ;)

This is similar to what we did in December of last year when the family was in Bucharest. I saw a herd of Youts heading our way, and yelled at my wife and teenager to join the group. My teenager that it was cool that these preteens/teens were so friendly, but I said they were just trying to get close enough to go through our pockets.

In the more popular European tourist cities, you do have to watch out for pickpockets. Its kinda easy to spot who is working the crowd, vs people actually using the trains. If you take a minute to get your bearings or read a map, tie your shoes, fiddle with your backpack, take a minute to scout out the people in your vicinity. Is anyone watching you? Are they watching you because you just pulled out a map? Immediately be suspicious of them and anyone else close by. They mostly work in teams.

I would also agree that I never have to worry about being pick pocketed in the US and always have to worry about it in Europe. Thats not paranoia, but physically seeing it when I'm there. Its a target rich environment for these people. Tons of clueless tourists that rarely have to worry about these things when traveling in the US.

On the trains and when leaving our bags say at train station storage, we use gun locks like these. You can thread it through your zipper tab holes to prevent the bag from being open on the train, then through a thick handle on your bag, and then thread and lock it to the train luggage rack.

Before going through a turnstile look "both ways" and behind you in an over the shoulder way.

Another trick I use is to utilize spacing when going through bottlenecks like a turnstile. I have my wife walk through a turnstile with a stranger between us or some just some generous space and I'll watch her and then when she gets through she watches me. Its all done in a stealthy manner and not as robotic as it sounds. If pickpockets see you doing this then it makes you less of a target because it gives off an aura that you are aware of people watching you and you don't get targeted.

If anyone approaches you from the front, angle off and just keep moving - Ala the person with the dead pigeon in newspaper. Difficult to get you while you're moving thats why they want to shock and awe you. Worst comes to worst these people are mostly chickens, make it troubling for them and they'll take off.

A friend of mine was pickpocketed a few months ago inside the Doge Palace in Venice. The only other people in one of the rooms with him were two girls. Before he knew it, they were gone. Then he noticed his wallet was gone a little later. It can be anyone.

Someone tried to pickpocket my dad on a train and my dad caught him doing it and the guy jumped off. It was at a stop somewhere in Italy.

Just have good awareness, some common sense, and you will have nothing to worry about.

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." :eek:

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.)

I've never had a problem in Rome. I've heard of some people having problems at Termini, on the metro, or on the bus system, but I've never heard of anything first hand.

I have had two pickpocket attempts in Paris though and caught the guys before they could get away with it both times. One was on the inter-terminal bus at CDG and one was on the metro at the La Chappelle station from the RER airport transfer. I think the pickpockets look for exhausted tourists full of cash who are arriving in the morning from an overnight flight.

Wallet and goodies in front pockets, and I put my hands in my pockets when in crowds/metro stations or touristy areas...
My father swears by his money belt though