In rome on the metro I always carry a book of raffle tickets in may back pocket, looks impressive but is worth nothing, If I notice illegal hands invading my pocket I slam the offenders head into the nearest hard object, I have had some wonderfull sport this way and recieved the applause of crowded metro cars! It does help that I have a proficiency in thai boxing !!

I once had an attempt made at picking my pocket at London Bridge station on the Tube. Two guys were on the escalator, one right behind me and the other some distance in front. The guy behind came running up the stairs and as I moved to let him past he brushed against my side. It wasn't until I saw him pass someone else's wallet with a shrug to his mate that I realised what had happened.<BR><BR>My tips for avoiding getting pickpocketed -<BR><BR>1. Don't make your wallet / money pouch obvious. If you're wearing a jacket, then put the wallet in the inside pocket and zip the jacket up a bit. It makes it more awkward for the pickpocket; if it looks like he can't do it in a minute then he probably won't try. If you don't have a jacket, then I'd suggest a breast pocket of a shirt or t-shirt instead.<BR><BR>2. Only carry one credit card with you, but leave another in the hotel safe. That way, if the worst happens, there's only one card to cancel and you've still got another one to use.<BR><BR>3. Take travellers' cheques. I know people bad-mouth them on this board, but they do come with the reassurance that if stolen you will get replacements of the value lost. Just make sure you keep the receipt.<BR><BR>4. Put some money in a really odd place on your person so that, if the worst happens, you've at least got something to tide you over until you get back to the hotel. For example, I put mine in my shoe.<BR><BR>

Last summer in Paris, a kid tried to grab my hubbys camara. He is 6'31/1 250 lbs and he grabbed this kid by the arm and swung him around and punched him in the face. I became hysterical thinking my hubby had just killed this kid ( I swear I heard his skull crack) and then he asked his friends who was next? the kids took off and people around the corner started clapping (very weird) and yelling in various languages, I thought they were going to turn on us but it turns out they were yelling that thse kids got what they deserved. The gendarme (police) came and we told him what happended and he shrugged his shoulders and said "cest la vie" thats life...that appears to be the attitude the Paris police have taken towards this type of incidents. I don't recommend fighting with the criminal but my hubby got so mad that he just let lose...we had a similiar incident in Naples in October, when at a toll booth some kid stuck his hand in the window and grabbed our camera bag and would not let go, hubby drove the car a few feet with this kid running along side him and my yelling at him to stop this insanity, when we had moved a few feet the kid let go. These kids are RELENTLESS in their pursuit of your goods...BTW I dont live the lifestyle of leisure and travel, we just happen to be a military family who is already living in europe.

Are all of these pickpockets africans or gypsies?<BR>

I don't know what the ethnicity of the kids were they loooked like all the other kids just a little scruffier and unkept. In Italy I am guessing Italien. I had a similiar incident in Sarajevo in 1999,(worked for a charitable organization) with a little gypsy girl run up to me and hugged me and put her hands in my jacket pockets. No money just keys but I did push here away very firmly, she wasnt even 5 years old, it was so sad and she was obviously very unhealthy. It is funny that the countries were I expected this sort of thing Mexico and the Dominican Republic, I was never bothered, just politely asked by children beggars and a simple no was enough.

I also had an unfortunate experience in Paris with a pickpocket. In my case, it was a gypsy.<BR><BR>However, others in our party experienced a native trying to be "helpful" at Ile de la Cite. They said they were walking and a man seemed to come from nowhere and joined them asking if they needed help. And they weren't even looking lost-they were only talking while walking. They just ignored him and he walked away.

I would think that if you carry your backpack/purse/camera bag in front of you, hold on to it firmly, show those around you that you are aware of your surroundings and TRY to keep you back to the wall when riding public transportation - you won't be ripped off. If you carry your money in your front pocket, keep your hands in your pockets.

I am very lucky to never have been pickpocketed, either. In fact, this last time, at one point, I was surrounded by gypsies and they totally were engrossed in their own thing, as if I were not there at all! Maybe it was the end of their "workday" and they were going home. <BR><BR>Anyway, one thing my friend told me to be aware of is shopping: Do not get too bogged down with bags. The pickpockets target women struggling with shopping bags!

They are all Gypsies. Gypsies have only one function on the earth and that is to steal. They are raised from their cribs learning to steal. It is all they do. Steal. Gypsies are worthless. They serve no useful purpose. Watch out they will get you.

This dropping something on the floor technique wasm tried on us twice in Madrid. On a train, one threw down some coins and looking down I saw another man crawling between my legs. Luckily we got away. Two days later the same thing happened to me on the street. My wife was a few steps behind, and seeing the guy crawling, planted her foot in shall we say a sensitive location! So up to now the score is zero for two.

Could they have been Algerian Muslim?

I'm a little confused. Do gypsies belong to a certain race or ethnicity? When I picture a gypsy, it's some cartoonish man with an earing and a saber. To much t.v. as a kid I guess. Anyway -- will someone clear this up for me?<BR>

The Romany, another name for the gypsies, are an ethnic group found all over Europe and America. They are close knit with a high regard for each other. Unfortunately, they have no regard for anyone who is not a gypsy. They view anyone who is non-gypsy as a license to steal, con and "gyp." The con can be a baby lying in front of a woman in a Paris metro station, it can be hordes of children on a Roman street, or it can be door-to-door con men "resurfacing" the driveways of the elderly in the US.<BR><BR>There are actual towns in the US that are gypsy communities supported by a high level of organized crime. Most of the time the crime is some sort of theft; violence has not been the hallmark, although there are exceptions.

I'm very sorry about your experience but am very glad you told us about it in hopes of preventing it for someone else.

Ethnically speaking, gypsies originated from northern India. They spread all over europe during the late middle-ages. They usually call themselves "Romanis", or "Roms", not gypsies. (though there are actually several different groups, with a somewhat different language, etc...AFAIK). The name "gypsies" comes from Egyptia, since people used to believe they came from this country.<BR><BR><BR>Most gypsies one would notice in Paris (beggars, etc...) are recent immigrants (often illegal) from central europe. The children didn't necessarily enter the country with their parents, but sometimes with some sort of "guardian" who exploits them.<BR><BR>In France, there's a famous romani pilgrimage in the "Saintes Maries de la mer" (it's the name of the village) in Provence...

There was a wonderful program on public television last year called "Rom," I think, that explained the history of the gypsies very well, and beautifully. Look for it, as it may enlighten you. I'm not going to apologize for their behaviour, but I will say that having seen this film, I understood a great deal more about their heritage and their traditions.

Who gives a shit about their heritage and tradition? these people are a menace, it is obviously that they prefer to live like pigs and steal, and rip off folks for their livelihood. That is their tradition!!! I have seen them in France, Italy, Bosnia-Hergozovina, Spain and Portuga. Oh by the way, don't eat snails in a Porutgese restaurants, the gypsy pick them from people gardens and front yards and then sell them to the restaurants cheap the thing is that the homeowner has probably used a pesticide on them, so you are essentially eating toxic poisions, our villa hostess told us this. Something to think about...

A tip or two - have two cards - one each - and one always gets left back at the hotel; carry a minimum amount cash and split it between you; don't ever carry anything that you could not bear to lose. keep copies of everything (credit cards, driver's license, passport, tickets) in at least two places (at home in an obvious place and in your hotel and in your luggage).

I was in Paris last September. One day while walking down the Rue de Rivoli a beautiful girl, well dressed asked me if I had any money to spare. I told her I left my wallet in the hotel safe and didn't have any on me. She immediately walked away and went on to someone else. <BR><BR>At the time I didn't think much of it but now I realize she was most anxious to get ahold of my wallet and its contents.

Thanks for sharing your experience. I'm sure people will be more careful.<BR>We just got back from a week in Paris. Loved the subway system. We took about thirty rides in six days. No problem. I wouldn't discourage anyone from taking the subway. Just advise them to be careful. <BR> Just didn't care for the beggars. <BR><BR>I'm surprised that the Paris police don't do more to stop the pickpockets. There's plenty of signs warning travelers about them, but that's not enough. Those gangs are well organized; it shouldn't be too hard for the police to get them off the metro's.