On the train Naples to Chiusi. We thought we were prepared and it would never happen to us but we had to change cars just as everyone was getting on between Naples and Rome. In the commotion we were trying to move with all our luggage and we let some nice looking young man squeeze by us and I think that's when my husband lost his wallet with all our credit cards, driver's license and too many euros. We are in Montepulciano now and it is a glorious day, sunny and bright and we have just come back from many wine tastings on our street so the pain is not so bad. We are going to the police station to fill out a report and hopefully they will give us some form that will help us with our car rental tomorrow. I have my doubts though. We canceled our credit cards and we have one debit card that we will be using for the rest of our trip. It could have been worst. We still have our passports and our plane tickets. Will let you know what happens with the car.

Hi M,

Sorry to hear about your loss.

Thanks for the heads up.

Hope you can recover quickly and still enjoy yourselves...

(anyone want to argue about 'money belts' ... ?)

Sorry this happened!
But keep enjoying your trip. It's one of those bad travel experiences that you learn from, and that have happened to the best of us, and down the line when you think back to your Italy vacation the first thing to pop into your mind won't be this, but instead will be that great Montepulciano wine!

Really sorry to hear that Micheline.
We had the same experience in Paris and it leaves you feeling awful. My husband felt stupid and I felt stunned.
It could always have been worse -no body got hurt so thats the main thing. Just enjoy the rest of your holiday - time is so precious.

Last week I stopped at an Autogrill between Rome & Venice and an American man was pickpocketed while waiting in line to pay. The Autogrill was very crowded -- the thief unzipped a cargo pocket on his pants and stole 280 euro. I was 10 feet from him when he noticed.

What is it about Italy?!? Please, don't freak, I know it happens everywhere, but <i>personally</i> I've never encountered it in any other country (and I have another friend who was mugged in Naples at knifepoint).

Dear Micheline,

Sorry you had this experience and I hope it doesn't put too much of a hassle in your trip.

However, you say you were &quot;prepared&quot;, but it doesn't sound like it if the pickpocket was able to access all of your credit cards, driver's license and Euros in one spot.

My rule of thumb is (especially) on train travel days use a security pouch, neck, waist, whatever. After buying your train tickets, visit the restroom and put ALL credit cards in the security pouch. Be able to handle your luggage easily - pack light. Split up Euros, credit cards between travelrs. That helps too!

Enjoy some of that great brunello in Monalcino.

Buon viaggio!

When I was 17, many many years ago, I was pick pocketed on the Via Barberini in Rome and spent half the evening reporting the loss of TCs, passport, hostel and train passes. The only consolation was that the Italian passport picture for the replacement made me look like a model - absolutely gorgeous.

Yesterday, the owner of our local travel accessary shop suggested carrying a decoy wallet in your easily accessible pocket. Worth considering?

I had to laugh at the decoy idea! My husband wanted to put a mouse trap in his back pocket!

Really sorry to hear Micheline's situation!! Hope you and your husband continue to make the best of it.

For others, take a lesson, and if you think you are &quot;prepared&quot; maybe think again? Pack light (I'm not sure how much &quot;all our luggage&quot; is but sounds like more than two small suitcases), use a money belt or neck pouch under your clothing not a regular wallet especially for train travel days, and most important imo... don't carry everything in one place (split up the charge cards, money, etc. between two people and kept in several different places).

I never understood the logic of a decoy wallet myself.

I agree about wearing a money belt or something similar. But just yesterday someone posted on another thread that she's never used any, never will, and if one gets out of the airport, train station, etc. having a confident attitude that is all that's necessary. She went on to say she's never been pickpocketed.

But I think it doesn't matter and even if you were never pickpocketed before, there is still a chance it can happen in future.

For myself I consider each trip and the situations I will likely find myself in. I have not used a money belt (yet) but then again I have never taken a train in Naples or traveled with alot of luggage around Italy.

I got pickeded in Venice..... probably by the guy who warned me about pickpocts on the vaporetto. Still not sure, whoever did it was that adept. Had to canecl all the cards. Luckily my husband's American Express Card has a different number so we had something. The police were not very optimistic about recovering anything. All they could do was shrug.

Regarding Gekko's comment about Italy, here is my experience. I have lived in Italy seven years. During that time I have only been pickpocketed while visiting Madrid and Vienna. I friend of mine who has lived part-time in Italy for 25 years has been pickpocketed once: on a train in Geneva. It happened much like the original poster described. A nice-looking man brushed past us as we were making our way to our seats.

My purse is always one that I can wear across my chest. I put my money in a zippered pocket, and my credit cards in a little pouch at the bottom of my purse.

We did spend a lot of time today at the police station and the carbineiri. We were mostly concerned about our car rental tomorrow. The Tourist office assured us we would be given a document to let us drive but the police said that was only for Italians. We have a friend with us who does have a driver's license but she is terrified but I think that's what we will have to do so we will just take it easy. We probably would not care that much about the car but my daughter flew in from London yesterday, saturday, our arrival day, and is leaving tuesday morning. My husband had my credit card as well as his because at the train station we had to change our Trenitalia time and I did not remember if I used his or my card. First time ever he has both cards. My poor dh does feel stupid and I am stunned but it is still a wonderful trip. Villa Rosa in Positano was so incredibly wonderful and The Politian Apt. in Montepulciano is great. Thank you all for your commisserations.

topping this thread for all the &quot;i don't need a money belt or security wallet&quot; people (including myself)!

We use security pouches and split up the credit cards and each have an ATM card.

To Gekko: (who asked &quot;what is it about Italy?&quot ...its just math. The number of posters on the Europe Forum who ask about Italy is greater than any other single country, the number of visitors to Italy is vast etc.

My husband is a criminologist who works with international policing strategies and statistics and maintains that Italy does not have a greater pickpocketing problem, statistically, than most other European countries, just greater numbers of visitors and, hence, opportunities and the resultant stories on this and other forums.

For the record, we lived in Italy for some time and were never personally pick-pocketed (probably looked too impoverished!), but my visiting Mum, 83, who insisted on carrying a handbag was mobbed by a pack of urchins-of-ill-intent in Florence. She had to bat one off with that same handbag: later claimed it bothered her more to strike a child for the first and only time in her life (and I'll vouch for that...) than it would have to lose the bag.

Sorry this happened but let others learn - the only way to prevent this from happening in dicey places like train stations is to wear and have all your valuables in a money belt that goes under your clothes.

No neck pouches as they can be cut and snatched - only a moneybelt or some similar device under the clothes is what i recommend and faithfully use.

Sorry this happened. Tell your husband not to feel stupid, it happens to the best of us.

I lost my wallet in Harrods in the shoe department. I practically handed the thief my wallet. I lost my senses while trying on a Manolo and left my purse on the sofa. They took about 480 pounds and one credit card but left my purse. I felt so stupid! I bought the shoes anyway and they are fabulous!

DH was not happy that I bought another shoes.

Hope you guys have a great time.