I just returned from my first trip to Italy. I had heard that pick pocketing was common and that there were child thieves. Fortunately, I did not personnally run into that problem. However, my husband and I did witness children ripping off others while at dinner. My caution is to watch if a cute little kid approaches you. They may have an accomplise. Also, I saw a fair number of hunched over older women. My heart tugged and I gave them euros a few times. After I got home, one of my friends who has been to Rome a number of times told me she did the same thing -- and then subsequently saw the same person walking upright and quickly!

Whenever a cute child approaches me, I give it a slap with the back of my hand that usually throws it across the room/plaza/place/piazza/whatever.

We also just returned from Italy with four days in Rome. We noticed those hunched over asking for coins, but didn't see any meancing kids lurking about. My advice is the same for any large city anywhere in the world. Carry on your person only that cash which you have allocated for the day, and keep that cash close to your person in the front pocket. If you are approached by a suspicious looking sort, reiterate "no, no, no" loudly and move to a public place quickly. This method has served us well in Rome, Paris, Sao Paolo, Bangkok, Guatamala City and most importantly at home in New York. Thieves are everywhere, and they are looking for the easy target. Do what you can not to be the easy target and you'll be fine.

I've seen those children who steal in London as well in a couple of pubs. One came in with another small boy & started talking with the people at the next table then quickly snatched the man's cell phone & made off with it.

Hi P,

Thanks for the heads up.

It is always a good idea to not let a little kid get near you.

They are fast as lightning.

Usually by the way there's an adult nearby watching the little urchins at work and providing guidance on how to take advantage of the trusting tourist. Incidentally kids seen to get a lot faster when you're of a certain age. Or so I've noticed.

If you want to see how upright they can really stand,you can watch them coming out of P. Roma in Venice in herds any morning around 8:30. I think of them as the Beggar Brigade.

I have even seen a gypsy swarm of kids hit an individual tourist in Italy, which is quite a sight. The younger ones approach and are welcomed, then they get very friendly and touchy. Next thing you know, the tourist is so distracted that an older (young teen) quickly grab the valuables and they are all gone.

Italy is the only place where Ive seen children so organized in their crime.

That's because you have not visited Spain lately.

I had two young girls (probably 10 - 12) steal a pouch out of my backpack in Liege. (Luckily I had removed my passport and wallet from the pouch that morning.)

They pushed behind me on a crowded escalator and unzipped my pack in a flash. I'm sure they transferred the pouch to someone going down on the other side. When I got to the top of the escalator, the girls had already vanished in the crowd.

I spent about three hours in the police office at the train station filing out forms for the police, who kept laughing at my bad French and pantomime in an attempt to explain what happened.

car,

Been to Spain many times, and thinks its the worst place in Europe as far as crime goes. However, I never saw kids engaged in crime there, but wouldnt doubt they do.

I guess this is when being a heartless b!tch helps!

In fact, when I was in Brussels 3 years ago, I had a young child and a woman coming to beg and I told them to back away in french -- the mother then proceeded to tell me off in a language I didn't recognize and was pointing and almost hissing at me. Another woman next to me laughed and said, "I think you've just had a curse put on you" I laughed too, it was pretty funny, but the beggar woman turned back and didn't seem to think so.... I'm still waiting for her curse to come through...maybe it was when I broke my wrist this past January?

I thought this was going to be a bailout thread. Pleasant surprise.

''thought this was going to be a bailout thread. Pleasant surprise.''

The bailout was clearly robbery, or at the very least extortion. We are just talking about beggers and theives on this thread.

hi pamo,

the saddest thing we saw in Rome 2 yhears ago was the 9 month pregnant woman begging outside the Vatican.

knowing that anything we gave her would have been passed on to whoever was running her we didn't give anything. but I still wonder what depths of desperation had brought her to that place.

so I sympathise with your desire to help.


regards, ann

Ah, Ann... I'm afraid that belly didn't necessarily have a baby in it. I have seen the ready-to-pop young women beggars in the Porta Portesi market, in front of Santa Maria in Trastevere and in front of Santa Maria del Popolo. I've seen a few at Piazza Repubblica too, walking toward the Angeli.

This is not to say that certain groups of beggars don't work when they're preggers, but I have a hard time believing in that particular belly size which consistently appears all over Rome.

But even if the money were going to her "handlers" wouldn't it feed her and her supposed fetus, too?

I saw a lot more police presence at the tourist sites and train stations this trip to Italy. I saw very few beggars in the main tourist locales or on the subways.

Once in San Francisco, a woman was walking fast in front of me, pushing something.

I couldn't see what she was pushing, and going in the same direction, I tried to catch up with her.

Couldn't move as fast till she finally stopped, that thing turned out to be a wheelchair in which she made herself comfortable, sad face, an empty hand extended...

I'm not saying all beggars are pretending, I'm saying to help them, send a small donation to a place that takes care of them: provides food, shelter, shower, clothing.

The craziest thing I saw in Rome (Sept 2008, Piazza Navona area) was a begger, a young man looked to be about 19 or 20. I saw him moving about on a furniture dolly (think Eddie Murphy opening act on Trading Places). Anyway, his feet were curled inward, an obvious deformity right?

The next day at the Pantheon, I saw this same guy who must have taken a powerful iron and ironed his feet and legs completely straight! They were sticking straight out like a volt of electricity had shot through them!

Same dolly, same begger, same man, different area! (I did see others as well, but this one I remembered distinctly)

I also saw the bent over ladies and the gypsy mothers with their babies!

Incredible!

Thanks Pamo2 for the warnings, and to all who have provided enlightening information on this topic.

To all those who feel sorry for beggars, I know how you feel. I grew up in a country where there were many beggars. Although many are con artists, there are genuine cases too. They have always pulled at my heartstrings. The way I have always handled this is to give beggars food (bread, tinned goods, milk, etc). That way, if they are genuinely starving they get something to eat that is good for them.

However, I am sure the beggars in Rome, Florence and Venice would be astonished if I handed out Vegemite, Anzac biscuits and macadamia nuts from my Australian supplies! Perhaps I should try this and let you all know how it goes ....... they'll probably throw them back at me!