Having been the victim of theft in Naples 6 months ago, this thread is a prudent, heads-up to everyone and not unheard of in Italy. Italy is my favorite country in Europe and I speak fluent Italian. I am also a savvy traveler and have never had a problem with theft, gypsies, or anything in my years of travel to Italy --- until I was in Naples. I had thought it best NOT to carry my large purse since pushing my toddler in her stroller, so I had just brought my wallet and it was under a towel in her stroller, in the basket underneath the stroller. Despite it not being visible, I must have apparently been a target by the robber on the bus (near the train station at Garibaldi Square). I have since heard that women with children; riders on busses; and general chaos and mayhem are the robbers' M.O. and one should exercise extra caution in those situations. After that unfortunate incident, my local Italian women friends told me to put my money on my person (in my top, in a garter belt on my leg, etc). As ludicrous as that sounds, that is how most of the women there carry their money. Others use those small, under-the-arm purses that they can clutch tightly against them. I am a bit wary of Naples now but feel certainly wiser and more aware of potential situations and thieves! Please be aware: if you feel you are getting bumped up against, pushed, jostled, etc. move away as quickly as you can -- that is usually just a cover for a potential theft to happen. Better to be safe than sorry. Despite that incident, I still love Italy and visit several times a year - I just exercise more caution in Naples now!

You can't generalize about all of "Italy" on the subject. The Rome train station is not a countryside local farmers market. Depends where you are and what you are doing.

It's interesting to me how some people have had numerous problems, and some not at all.

I'm single, travel with a normal sturdy pocketbook, same one I use at home. Have my paperwork in order and my money sources in several places (including the hotel room/safe). Try not to look all confused. If you need to mentally re-group for whatever reason, find a quiet hotel lobby, bank, library, whatever or sit down and get some food or a glass of wine in a sidewalk cafe, never allow yourself to become/appear overwhelmed, lost or flustered in busy tourist heavy areas. That is the best precaution I can recommend.

My husband had his wallet taken from his front pocket getting on a train in Naples. A group of middle aged men, well dressed, were blocking the way when he tried to get onto the train. They got off as the train took off, and the wallet was missing. If you're trying to get on a train and there are people standing in your way, don't get on there.

We encountered a group of thirteen year old girls trying the same maneuver on the metro in Rome. They were much easier to push out of the way, however.

Huitres, your bus experience just brought back a memory.

I was on a crowded bus in Naples and all of a sudden I felt someone poking me in the lower back.

I could see a man standing behind me from the corner of my eye and thought he was trying to find my money belt, so I grabbed whatever it was poking me, and......it wasn't his hand.......if you know what I mean.

He looked surprised, I let go and he jumped off the bus at the next stop!

Chardonnay - your experience was more "interesting" than mine! Yikes! Turns out that I was sitting in front of the woman robber the entire time, I had asked directions to the Circumvesuviana train station and she pointed her arm right in front of my face and I turned to look out of the window. Being that she was behind me, she could have easily reached down and lifted my wallet out from under my stroller - or it may have occurred when I was getting off, carrying the stroller down the stairs. However it was done, it was certainly clever and I was jarred for nearly the remainder of my stay there (I had only just arrived 3 days prior!). Incidentally, my sister who lives in Berlin had a similar experience on a bus there - she too was pick-pocketed carrying a back-pack. She had her young ones with her and was standing up holding on to the rail and never felt anything being touched on her person. It is unfortunate but it seems like women with children, the elderly, or even obvious tourists seem to be targets for theives all over the world - not just in Italy! I agree with one of the posters above, if you walk and appear very confident and secure, no one will mess with you. One might say I have become a b---- now, I never appear defenseless and have cautioned my toddler not to talk/fuss when we are on public transportation -- I don't need any more distractions than I have!