Beware of the gypsies in Rome and Madrid. I heard bad stories from other tourists in Naples, fortunately nothing happened to us but we were very careful and didn't go everywhere. Money belt inside the clothing is the way to go. No gold jewelry either.

We were hassled in the Mediterranean cities and towns of Spain and France.Be aware and realize anyone can be after your wallet, all ages from little kids to the elderly.

Here is a thought - if you think you are being set up by pickpockets - but aren't sure and don't want to punch an innocent person - start yelling. They don't want attention. Just be weird yourself. I did this in Rome when standing on a crowded street corner. I felt that a weird looking dud was jostling my purse and my son's backpack. I started yelling. Of course everyone turned and stared but that was exactly what I hoped for. The guy vanished.

We found ourselves all-of-sudden surrounded by gypsies in Rome. We just changed into nice clothes as we were heading to dinner. Dh was wearing a jacket, he said he could feel the gypsie's hand in the inside pocket of his jacket. Fortunately there was nothing there. Nobody was around so yelling wouldn't make a difference. The only saving grace is that dh had worn his money belt inside his pants.

A few years ago I was in London and coming out of the toy store and a group of old ladies were offering "a pretty flower for the pretty lady" and making a loud fuss. Fortunately my sister-in-law had warned me as this had happened to her just a few days prior. She said she actually felt a hand in her purse and she said she belly punched the old lady. That was as close as I have ever come to being pick-pocketed. I usually wear my purse across my body and keep it in front of me and if its winter, under my coat.

Christina, 2nd message had it right --- why do men insist on continuing to carry money or valuables in their pockets, in cities & mass transit known for pickpockets.

I go annually to Greece, known for its low crime rate... but Thessaloniki and Athen in recent years have had a plague of pickpocketing largely by illegal immigrants (Greece has largest % of illegals to cope with in Europe, almost all in these 2 cities). Fortunately Athens police just rounded up an entire large ring, all from Balkans, so this threat has eased.

Point is, these characters largely targeted the Train from seaport of Piraeus to Central Athens, because (1) crowded with tourists off ferries & cruise ships, with $$ in their bags & pockets and (2) my feeling, so many Americans NEVER take public transportation at home, they don't know how to act, standing on a crowded train. and point (3) -- the losses were most often reported by men who, yes, are warned, but too many of whom think, no it can't happen to ME... I would feel a hand in my pocket, and besides it has VELCRO holding it closed!! Yeah, right! I have ridden this train often, for years, always wear my bag crosswise with hands on the Zipper, I see most other women doing the some. Men either carry stuff in pockets, or in a backpack hanging off one shoulder. Why not a sign saying Rob Me.

Lots of useful comments here. A common theme is that ordinary people, especially when they're visiting another country, are reluctant to be rude to others. Gypsies and other thieves (e.g. elderly pickpockets in Naples) take advantage of this. There are useful tips on these two webpages: http://www.bella-toscana.com/pickpocketsinitaly.htm and http://www.naples-napoli.com/pickpocketsinnaples.htm

" Gypsies and other thieves...."

so gypsies are automatically thieves?? what a stupid comment

not sure why you feel it necessary to dig up a two year old thread to say this

Hi, we, my husband and I spent the last few weeks in Rome and Paris (a week in each). In Rome while walking by the Tibor one day he was stopped by the 'how to find the Colosseo' car/coat scam. I had read about it but he hadn't. Happily he thought the guy was nuts to ask a tourist instead of an Italian speaking local for directions anywhere and didn't give them any money.

We were in the neighbourhood behind Sacre Coeur one day in Paris when we heard a man shouting at a bunch of teenage girls that they were trying to steal his wallet. They just ran away laughing.

There are lots of good tips on this site to avoid problems but generally I think if you're aware of your surroundings and your valuables you should be okay.

Actually Italian pickpockets are rampant. I took all the precautions in Naples Italy, and it still took just 5 days before my wallet was grabbed on the crowded Garibaldi platform when I was jostled by 3 young men working as a team. They managed to get it out of a securely buttoned down pocket too. I realized they had it the second they ran off, too fast for me to catch them. My advice. don't carry a wallet on any street in Italy or any documents. They got about 500 euros, but more importantly, my driver's licence, health card, and bank card. Luckily my credit card, passport and extra money was in my room safe where my wallet should have been. ONLY CARRY the amount of money you're going to need for the day and a PHOTOCOPY of your passport. Imagine your dilema if that gets stolen. I was so angry that I wanted to buy a knife, make a cheap wallet look fat with blank paper, and go back "fishing" at Garibaldi and stab the first thief that tried to take it. One thing for sure, it's my last trip to Italy. Naples is a sh*t hole anyway, graffiti on everything, streets full of garbage and even saw rats running around. Also no imagination with their food, lousy pizza or spaghetti, your two main choices, and everything over priced, example 3.50 euros for a can of coke I can buy at home for .50c. My best advice is to visit Scandinavia or stay home.

"I was so angry that I wanted to buy a knife, make a cheap wallet look fat with blank paper, and go back "fishing" at Garibaldi and stab the first thief that tried to take it."

Unadvisable.

"Also no imagination with their food, lousy pizza or spaghetti, your two main choices"

Really? No burgers?

"My best advice is to visit Scandinavia or stay home."

Scandinavia has its charms, but is far from the last word.

welcome to Fodors onlyforbrian . . . and you searched exactly which terms to dig up this old thread????? (you likely won't read and responses sing you registered just to post your complaints)

onlyforbrian, welcome to Fodors. Note the #1 tip for avoiding pickpockets:

http://www.saga.co.uk/travel-and-lei...ckpockets.aspx

Naples doesn't make the Top 10 list for rat-infested cities. NYC is supposedly #1, followed by five other U.S. cities.

http://www.animalplanet.com/wild-ani...-the-world.htm

FYI, coke is expensive everywhere outside of the U.S. The price is not set by Naples or Italy, so blame the Coca Cola company.

My advise would be not to walk around with a wallet in your back pants pocket - the easiest place to grab it from.

At least carry it in a front pocket. Or just carry cash and no wallet. Or carry it in a daypack that is secure.

If you make it easy for thieves they WILL find you.

Naples.

Sitting at a cafe for 3-4 hours. During that time, saw a few things. It started off with noticing that the souvenir stand next door to the cafe was openly trying to sell what were so obviously stolen items such as iPads, phones, etc..

It progressed to other things like after having sat at the cafe for a few hours, I saw a random man, let's call him Man A, with a purse in his hands running like he was being chased, all the way down the street towards Man B, who was ten feet away from me waiting for Man A besides his scooter. Man A gave Man B the purse, Man B quickly stuffed it into the open waiting compartment of his scooter and closed it. Man A continues on running. This is where I saw another man, Man C, running from the same direction that Man A came from, yelling at Man A to come back with the purse. They both turn a corner, and I lost sight of both of them. Meanwhile Man B pretends to be a bystander the whole time, watching this whole commotion.

Also, just before I left the cafe, my travel buddy decided to buy a shot glass from the aforementioned souvenir stand, where they pulled the switcheroo trick, replacing the item he had chosen to purchase with a broken version of another item wrapped up. My friend checked, and the souvenir guy reluctantly gave him the original shot glass he purchased.

I pretty much realized right then, that that particular souvenir stand ran the illegal business of those entire few blocks. They had at least 6-8 people strategically working for them doing all sorts of pickpocketing, selling of pick pocketed goods, and scamming. They also had an understanding with the cafe, to at least not target cafe customers while they are still around cafe vicinity.

Been to more than 30 countries and countless cities but Naples is the only place where I saw so much petty crime in the short span of time I was there (4 hours). Makes it difficult for me to want to revisit it again, although I must, if just to see its museums.

onlyforbrian: well, I don't know about Naples, but Scandinavia certainly has pickpockets, too.

My husband, son and I just returned from Italy and spent the afternoon in Naples. We had no problems, but we were approached on the train by a woman asking for money, and a woman at the Galleria asking for money. My rule is...never wear expensive jewelry while travelling, keep a copy of my passport, and credit card numbers, and 800 numbers,and bank info at the hotel, just in case. And never carry lots of cash. In the situation of being squeezed on a train or bus, there isn't a lot you can do, except carry as little money as possible with you. I also don't know why men insist on carrying their wallets in the back pocket.

Yes thanks for the warning - be especially careful on crowded buses or trams.

But not everyone in Naples is a thief - not nearly - here is my story - after bopping around town all day on a day trip from Rome I while eating a gelato cone stepped in one of the ubiquitous Napolese potholes and fell hard on the cobbles - right in front of the train station.

Dazed and really confused I could not remember even where I was for a few minutes or so it seemed - I was so vulnerable anyone could have picked me clean.

I was bleeding a gusher from my nose and slowly came back to my senses - whatever of those I still have left!

I sat on a bench to recover - and several Napolese come up and offer to help me - coming back to normal I said thanks, etc.

Then I went to the first-aid thing in the station and they called an ambulance for a possible head injury - at the hospitl one orderly type employee took me under his wing and walked me thru the various stages - doctor - X-Ray - etc. and then called a cab for me when I was found to be OK - well back to what I was before my fall.

This guy and other locals went out of their way to help me - not everyone in Naples is a thief - I was an obvious target when dazed and confused but folks only came up to try to help.

I found some really nice folks in Naples.

I mention this because Naples often gets a bad rap and folks may be afraid to even step foot out of the train station, a rather seedy area BTW - use proper caution and take the warning johngerard thoughtfully gives to be vigilant and have your valuables in some kind of money belt or device under your clothing - nothing in a pocket, etc.

Again thanks for posting - don't let these things deter you from visiting what to me is one of Europe's most interesting and most old-worldish cities - laundry strung between apartments on narrow lanes, etc. Just kind of like Italian cities looked when I first started going to Italy decades ago.

Don't be deterred from visiting this gem - just take precautions to heart and learn from unfortunate stores like john's - know the problem exists and it will less likely happen to you.

The only place I've been robbed was in Beverly Hills, California, USA.

The town where I've seen the most panhandlers is Santa Monica, California, USA.

Well I haven;t been robbed - personally anywhere - although I did have an NYC apt (rental) broken into. Poor security by the owner.

I have a friend who had her purse stolen out of a shopping cart in the parking lot of an upscale store in the ultra chic Hamptons. And saw a purse stolen by a youthful bicyclist in ultra-tony Greenwich, CT - the woman had hung it on the back of her chair in an outdoor cafe - right next to the sidewalk.

If you are careless you can have things stolen anywhere. But of course need to be especially careful when on any packed public transit - anywhere in the world.