I will be going to Italy this fall with my parents. We will each have one rolling suitcase and one day bag. We will be taking trains between large cities. We plan to wear neck money belts under our clothes and carry disposable cameras. Is that sufficient to prevent pickpockets? What can we do to guard our luggage on the trains?

I think quite a few people are going to tell you that the risk is minimal. The money belt idea is a good one because it is a little more difficult to take something that is less accessible than an outer pocket. However, a very good friend of ours was robbed of her purse that contained credit cards, money, and passport when she fell asleep on the train. She was travelling alone, which I think made her more vulnerable. I suggest that if one or more of the people in your group can tolerate it, drink a good cup of strong coffee and stay awake the whole time. (No dozing off!!) Another tip is to take off any jewelery that might make you look like you were a worthy target. (If you have a $15,000 Rolex, don't wear it!!) You might want to have a little "pocket" money handy so that you don't have to virtually undress to get to your money belt supply. That is a tip off, although no wallet bulge for men is also a sign that the big stuff is elsewhere. I carried a regular billfold in my hip pocket in Paris, but it had very, very little in it. (It contained my US voter registration card and $7 in US bills. I was targeted, but the pickpocket did not take my billfold. I guess he didn't think it was worth the effort. Possibly I evaded him when I moved and twisted when he bumped into me, but I don't think that was it. I think he didn't want it.) <BR>Also, don't everybody leave to go eat at the same time if you want to visit the snack car or dining car or go the rest room. The time to be most alert is when you are nearing a major station and people start milling about in preparation to get off. Hopefully others will have some ideas.

In addition to Bob's good advice: <BR> <BR>If you take any of the day bags out with you, keep them off your back, at least near crowds and on buses/subways. <BR> <BR>Not a bad idea to secure your bags to the overhead racks on the trains ... that way you'll worry less about dozing off. You don't need a bicycle chain and padlock; just a well-knotted piece of rope or bungee cord will be enough to discourage most sneak thieves ... they like to work quickly. <BR> <BR>You may find of interest www.twenj.com/othrprep.htm and www.twenj.com/romesafe.htm <BR> <BR>Rome.Switzerland.Bavaria <BR>www.twenj.com

Cindy, <BR> We were in Italy 3 yrs ago. Saw a scam done to some american gal near the colliseum where a young italian couple asked a gal to take thier picture where the gal put down her bag to take the picture . Then an another young Italian walked up behind the gal and scooped up the bag,walked off about 10 yards and handed it to another older Italian who was walking in another direction. Very quick and smooth!! <BR> Also we took a bus to the catecombs which were very crowed and saw pickpockits working the riders. He later got off and walked across the street and took the bus the other way to hustle the riders on the way back. <BR>

The focus of this particular security question was on trains. But, my experience indicates that subways and buses are where your chances of being targeted by a pickpocket or purse snatcher are higher. These conveyences stop more frequently and there is more getting on and off. The natural movements of people create the distractions that most pickpockets use to cover their actions. The fellow who "fingered" me was riding the Metro in Paris. As I approached the car, he was pretending to read the route map over the door. All in one continuous action, he saw me coming, moved into me while looking up at the map, fingered my wallet, and squeezed out of the door just as it closed. His actions were so well timed, that had he lifted my wallet, I don't know of any counter measures I could have taken. <BR> <BR>I will never know why he passed on this opportunity. Perhaps it was because he realized that there was not much to take, or perhaps my turning quickly to evade him took my hip pocket out of range. <BR>I don't think the turn stopped him because I was not aware of the attempt until another passenger asked me in excellent English if everything was still in my pockets. I never felt a thing except the contact with my left shoulder, so had the unidentified passenger not said anything, I would have remained totally unaware of what really happened. <BR> <BR>My wife boarded at the same time, but to right of the would-be thief. She saw him bump into me and naively asked me, "What's with that guy?" Well, he was trying to rob me; that was what was with that guy!! <BR> <BR>I have wondered several times why the other passenger told me what happened. I don't think he was a partner to the would be thief because I saw no way that telling me what happened could have set me up for another attempt. Possibly he thought I might reveal where I really had my valuables by telling me what had happened. But the conversation did not last that long. Moreover, tourists do not go about Paris without credit cards and money. So if not in a hip pocket billfold, they good stuff must be concealed elsewhere.n <BR>If any of you have any theories on this matter, pass them along. <BR> <BR>It might help all of us avoid being robbed because most us are potential targets when touring. In this situation I obviously was not a Parisian -- clothes, posture, and other factors make that fact quite obvious. The best we can do is to be a hard target.

Is everyone aware of the age old tip for a man to keep a wide rubber band around his wallet? Try it, the only problem is it sometimes becomes a nuisance to pull the wallet out of your own pocket. The rubber band catches on the cloth and the only easy way to get it out is by putting your whole hand around the wallet. I do this and also keep my wallet in my front pocket. I have had what must have been skilled pickpockets twice try to get my wallet and both failed when I felt them fumbling around trying to get my wallet out.