PICK-POCKETS AND THEIVES
 

I have heard many horror stories regarding pick-pockets and theives in Rome. My wife and I will be visiting there in June and I'm not sure whether to bring a digital camera, and take the chance of it getting stolen, or to use the disposable one time use cameras instead. What do you think?

I wouldn't overreact to the possibility of camera theft. If you're careful--just as you'd be careful in any major U.S. city--you'll be okay. Millions of us do it every year and come back home with cameras intact! <BR>And do you really want to carry all those disposable cameras around? <BR>

There are pickpockets in Rome. I just came back from Rome last week. My husband and I did not have any problems, but in a crowded outdoor market I saw several groups of women pickpocketing - and getting caught by the would-be victims. (However, I am sure that they must be successful sometimes, and the lack of commotion means those times aren't noticable....)Another traveler told me that someone opened her purse while she was on a crowded bus, but she noticed before they took anything. My advice: <BR>1. Wear a money belt. Do not carry a wallet in your rear pocket, and do not carry purses. <BR>2. Don't walk around with a big camera case dangling from your wrist or open on the front of your chest. Just keep your camera in your hand or zipped up when not in use. A camera is big and heavy enough that you would probably notice if someone tried to take it. <BR>3. The pickpockets I saw were groups of 2-4 women along with 1-3 young children. They were dressed like gypsies, and thus looked slightly different from the typical italian walking around. Watch out for these groups, or large groups of young children (not the school groups, mind you). They will split up and get around you, so that one person distracts you, one person picks, and another gets the goods passed over to them. The women carried pieces of cardboard with them with they would bump against the victims waist above their pocket to disguise what they were doing. They seemed to target tourists much more than locals and to work in crowded places. <BR> <BR>I would also say take your good camera and avoid the disposables - you will get better photos. A little common sense and planning will mean no problems with theft. (I heard a lot about theft before my trip and thought that I would be mugged before I even got out of the train station.) Rome was fanstanstic and well worth the trouble of a little planning regarding safety. Enjoy your trip - hope this was helpful.

There is a lot of info on this topic on this forum; if you do a search you will find mostly reassuring comments. Having said that, I took a disposable to avoid feeling worried and it worked just fine.

Take your good camera; I have a narrow strap for carrying mine around my neck (I button my jacket or coat over it when I'm on a subway or crowded area, mostly to protect it from getting bumped or smashed).

Yes, be alert for gypsies, tramps, and thieves (w/apologies to Cher.) Use common sense and always be on the alert, especially for those seeking info. Also, I do Italy several times yearly, use nothing but disposable cameras, and have had excellent results. Enjoy.

We just got home from Rome and didn't have any trouble with pickpockets. We wear money belts, and I carry a small back pack with water and other little stuff i.e.map, kleenex,etc. My husband also has his good camera with him. <BR> <BR>We saw some gypsy children begging in the plaza of Santa Maria Trastevere Church, but they didn't come up to us. The people they went to were locals, I believe. Also, there were a couple in an alley around the Pantheon, but they didn't bother us. <BR> <BR>There was an older lady in front of the Pantheon all dressed in black with a black kerchief. She was bent over and had a cane. Her hand that was on the cane was shaking terribly. Pathetic - until we saw her working another area a litle while later. There's no way she could have gotten to her 2nd gig in the condition she was in, in the amount of time she made it there. We are positive she was the same one in front of the Pantheon. Think twice before giving to these seemingly pathetic people. <BR> <BR>Elsa

Did the same thing as Elsa. Just be aware of your environment, don't let anybody go very near you or at least be very aware. Just came back from Italy yesterday and experienced the gypsy with the cardboard and people offering taxi. We just told the gypsies Vada Via (go away)loudly and they actually went away meekly. Be careful with people offering you taxi. We were aware of it so we avoided it. They were offering 50,000 L to our hotel but we took the taxi from the stand and was charged only 20,000L.

I was in Rome for 2 weeks last July, we never had a problem with pick-pocketers. <BR>Just be aware of you surroundings at all times and you should be fine. We did come in contact twice with small children surrounding us, but because of this forum I was aware what was happening my husdand didn't have a clue what was going on. I just put my hands up and yelled "NO, GO AWAY" - they actually fled. We took our very expensive and brand new camera with us, carried a small backpack that had a small lock on it - kept water, film, camera, maps, hats in it. Just remember not to flash any wealth and when your on the bus keep your possession in your lap not on the floor. Hope you have a wonderful trip as we did.

Elsa: I saw that little old-hunch-back lady last year. We also wondered about her, she was at one spot and then we would see her at another, figured she ran. Could never see her face, and believe me we followed her for a bit and tried to walk around her but she always would turn her head away and had it covered with that black scarve. Makes you think if she's really an old - I can't believe she's still around. Nice scam to collect money off of people's emotions.

Maybe what you two saw is the granny gang. Every morning they are bussed into the city and dropped off in front of all the churches. They all look alike because they are wearing a 'uniform'. Every evening they bus back to their villa in the country and count their spoils laughing all the while.

Rand's comment might sound a little far-fetched - but we saw a similar thing in Paris the last 3 times we've visited - women dressed as beggars, their head totally covered in scarves, etc. Virtually laying on the ground with one hand out begging - and you'd see this (seeming same) woman 3 or 4 times a day in very far-apart locations. The thing that finally tipped us off that all was not as it seemed was when my friend noticed that the hand that was held out begging was (a) very young, (b) very clean, and (c) very well manicured. The idea of a group of people doing the same thing might have some validity... Anybody else seen things like this?