Rome - countering pickpockets
 

I've read much about the danger of pickpockets in Rome. I think that this is an obvious risk, but I also think that it has been over-stated.<BR><BR>Despite that, I'd like to get some ideas on how to thwart pickpockets.<BR><BR>I think it is unreasonable for my wife not to carry a handbag even if it is just for maps or books. Given that, what type of bag is best to carry. It's not fanny packs, I imagine it's not backpacks. What can be carried so that the vacation is not ruined either by being too fearful or by being too lax?<BR><BR>And cameras, how does one record their trips and good times without being a target for hoodlums?<BR><BR>Thanks.

Having been all over Italy extensively, I can tell you that the pickpocket are not over-stated. Yes, your wife can carry a purse with the opening toward her body. She should also wear it across her shoulders instead of on her shoulder. Don't carry a lot of money in her purse or in pants pockets. Make a copy of your passport and carry that. Leave the original with copies of your credit cards in the hotel safe or in the bottom of your locked suitcase in the back of a closet. Pickpockets like crowds and people alone. If you see a child or gypsie type person coming toward you with a &quot;baby&quot;or newspaper, chase them away. Buses are also great places for pickpockets. There's nothing to be fearful about, just be aware. My daughter was ahead of us and a teenager came around from behind us. He followed my daughter. She had a backpack on with only a bottle of water and a jacket in it. As he got to about 3 feet from her I called her name. She turned around and was face to face with him. He ran. Cameras...my husband has the camera on his belt and we take it out of the case whenever we need it.

Hi md, tell your wife to go ahead and take a purse, just make sure that it closes up tight and can be held close to the body in crowds and really most of the time you are touring.<BR>I have a black purse that has a top zipper and an overflap that clasps shut over it. When I am in a crowded area I wear it across my chest or just under my arm with my hand clutching it.<BR><BR>Actually I do this in crowds at home in Los Angeles too.

I use my same everyday pocketbook for travel. Medium size, leather, with a zip top, and thick strap, long enough to be worn cross ways on my body. Hold it tight and don't be distracted in crowds or on public transporation. Same as I do at home (urban Seattle).<BR><BR>Personally I simply use disposable cameras. They really take pretty good snapshots and there's nothing to lose but 1 roll of film. Take 1 daylight, 1 flash, and 1 panoramic!

My husband I were in Rome for two weeks last year. We did come across gypsies on one occasion on a very open road from the Collosseum. I just shouted at them and they went away. Apart from that we did not feel threatened. Just be aware. My husband carries our money in a cotton moneybelt under his shirt. I dont keep much in my purse. Everything else we usually carry are in our rucksacks, including camera and we have not had a problem.

I agree that the pickpocket concern is a valid one. I have beetn to Italy 6 times and on every trip-someone in our group was pickpocketed.<BR><BR>I keep my airline ticket and passport in the hotel safe. I also wear one of those under your clothes money pocket things. I keep more money and an extra credit card in there. In my wallet I only keep the amount of money I anticipate needing that day. If I loose that-I can handle it. If I need more money or the credit card, I just find a bathroom and get out what I need.<BR>It works for me.

Natalia: I o just like you in Milano, my own hometown. I just use a bag that can be safely closed and wear it with a hand draped over the closing, or near it. On buses and subways I pull the bag right in front of me. Fanny bags are perfect because you always have them right in front of you. As an alternative, keep the bag betwwen you and the wall of the bus (on the side o behind you). If you use a small backpack, wear it on one sholuder only, with the actual bag lying between your body and an arm, and in the crowd wear it backwards (or should I say forewards?), this means that you have to wear it down your front istead of down your back. What is most inportant is the attitude: do never loo scared or worried, because this might signal that you are worried because you fear being robbed, and since you fera being robbet this might mean that you carry a lot of money and other valuables, so that you are an interesting target!<BR>One last thing: bringing copies of your douments is not a good idea. Much better to leave the copies at the hotel or wherever you are staying. Photoopies are not valid as documents, therefore, in case you need to demonstrate your identity, you will need the documents themselves; copies will not be accepted by any Italian police officer (or any other kind of officer that has a right to check your documents). Therefore you will need (depending on the case) to renounce visinting some structures or to go be forced to stay in the police's custody until someone brings the police your documents. On the other hand, photocopies might come handy in ase you actually get pickpocketed, in order to denounce it and in order to have new copies of your documents from the Embassy or Consulate.

Boy did you bring back memories MDtraveler!<BR><BR>When we were in Rome pickpockets were working everywhere. That was all that most Americans meeting up talked about.<BR><BR>We were downstairs in the tombs under the Vatican and hubby and friends were ahead of me in the crowd. I had a shoulder bag on and a camera in hand. I felt the slightest pressure and looked and smacked my hand against my handbag. This guy had his hand IN my bag and said &quot;Sorry dropped flash&quot; and took off. I was very lucky that he wasn't as good a pickpocket as others. Be very wary - leave passport and airline tickets in safe at hotel. Wear an inside the shirt wallet and just carry a few bills in your pocket.

A couple more questions based on the answers.<BR><BR>What is a 'rucksack'? Is it a backpack?<BR><BR>A number of people said that the would be perps ran when you yelled at them. Just what did you yell? I don't want to look like a crazy guy yelling at everyone that gets close to me!

Hi MD,<BR><BR> Help! is Aiuto! <BR> Police is Police <BR>

Calling &quot;Aiuto&quot; Or &quot;Polizia&quot; or &quot;Al ladro&quot; (thief) is usually a good way to cause a lot of people to walk the other way. As is taught in self defence classes (at least here in Italy) if you are alone in the street it is better to cry &quot;Al fuoco!&quot; (fire), which will cause much more people to run to you. In the crowd, anything you scream will cause engough heads to turn, but if you really want the guy to get abused, cry &quot;Tieni gi&ugrave; le mani, porco!&quot; (keep your hands off me, you pig!). It work beatifully, if you are a woman &gt;;-&gt;

Just came back from Rome and we had no problems with pickpockets. We did , however, see a group of gypsies being chased back into the metro by police. They are for real and they are loud and a menace. We used security pouches that loop onto your belt and are placed inside your pants. They work really nicely. Just carry a small shoulder pack or bag for your camera, guides, and water and keep it in the front of you or under a jacket. Pickpockets are not hard to foil as long as you are wise about it.

When we were in Italy I sewed velcro strips into one pocket of most of our trousers/shorts (big enough that nothing would get out of the pocket without the velcro being opened - about 3 inches long). We each kept some money, a credit card and some ID in those pockets so that a pickpocket would not leave us totally stranded. The velcro is good because you can undo it with one hand so you can use the pocket as normal, but it makes a tug and a bit of a noise that you will notice.<BR><BR>The rest of our things we carried similarly to above described - my husband had a wallet in his front pocket, I had a purse with a zipper that I kept my hand on. Camera was attached to belt or in my bag. We had no problems (possibly just lucky!)<BR><BR>Have a great trip!

Sorry to disagree with you Alice, but the copies of the passport is correct. You can always send to your hotel to bring the original if you need it. Also the backpack thing was incorrect. Gypsies grab and slip anything off of you that isn't secured. Holding on one arm is not secured. Holding it down in front of you can be grabbed also. A purse across you and under held by your arm and hand is the best. Backpacks are good for jackets, water, books, and things that can be replaced.

Whenever I'm in Italy (or any other major European city) I just do much as I would in London. I use my normal handbag, but I keep a close guard on it, especially when in any crowded situation such as the tube/metro or a market. I have never sewed velcro onto my pockets or used safety pins. And I've never been pickpocketed (except once here in London about 10 years ago, and it was sort of my fault - I'd left my bag open on a crowded bus. It wasn't a zippered bag, just a simple latch closure, and it was kind of behind me and I was tired and not paying attention.) Just be aware. <BR><BR>One of the tricks that gypsy kids will use is to come up to you jabbing a newspaper at you horizontally. While you are taken aback wondering what is going on, one of them has meanwhile picked your pocket or bag. So if you see them coming (as Ann1 pointed out) just shout no or cross the street. They are cheeky and aggressive but not dangerous. <BR><BR>There are pickpocket risks in any major city, not just in Rome, so do as you would whenever you go to a major city... <BR><BR>I find &quot;fanny packs&quot; are generally a bad idea, and tend to scream out &quot;target&quot;.

Ann1<BR>If you have a bag that is too tightly secured to you, any &quot;scippatore&quot; (that's the Italian word for those grab and run thieves you are referring to) will stil grab and run, usually on a moped, the only differnce being that if the bag is too secured to you wuo will fall too and may be dragged along for some meters, with potentially very serious consequences. I have seen enough people end up like this to just avoid securing anything too much on my own body, unless in a scipattori-safe area. Also, gipsies are usually regular (and not very skilled) pickpockets (they tried more than once to pull the wallet out of my trousers back pocket!) wh will not attempt stealing anything you have a feel on (or will not succeed in it).<BR>Also, going around with photocopies might, in some cases (although this will hardly happen to a foreigner) lead to being arrested for having non valid documents! Do not forget that half the law of Italy still date back to fascism, when not having valid papers might mean real prison.<BR>By the way, I have been all over Italy for my whole life (33 years since yesterday), also being a tourist in Italy and i hae never been pickpocketed once, The only time I lost anything to a thief was because I had left my bag unattended with a brand new Nokia cellphone in the front sleeve 8'-(!

A quick note on carrying original passport vs. a copy: While I would normally not want to worry about having the original with me (better to keep it safe at the hotel), current travel advisories are strongly suggesting the need for Americans to carry originals with them (and to know the location and phone no. of U.S. embassy in each city visited). Without wanting to be paranoid, I think I'll do that this summer when I visit Italy.

MD...I would suggest a backpack instead of purse for one main reason...so you can share in the carrying of it! My dad and I spent two weeks in Europe in Oct, and I had a very, very small purse for my daily cash &amp; cc (important stuff was in moneybelt), and we took turns carrying the backpack with water bottles, books, maps, film, etc. Gets heavy after a while!! <BR><BR>Enjoy your trip!<BR><BR>Anne

Hi Alice,<BR> You wrote<BR>&gt;Calling &quot;Aiuto&quot; Or &quot;Polizia&quot; ...is usually a good way to cause a lot of people to walk the other way. ..if you are alone in the street it is better to cry &quot;Al fuoco!&quot; (fire), which will cause much more people to run to you. &lt;<BR><BR> Same thing in large US cities.

I have been to Rome 3 times in the past 20 years and never had any problems with pickpockets. In fact, I never even saw any until riding on a bus with gypsies during my last visit. I always carry my camera (and it's a pretty decent SLR camera) and a small purse or backpack. I also don't wear expensive or flashy jewelry or accessories. When I saw these gypsies on the bus, both young woman carrying infants, I thought they looked suspicious. They actually appeared to be eyeing me (I was standing and the bus was crowded, i was wearing my backpack at the time). One sat and nursed her baby, as a distraction, while the other seemed to be 'positioning herself'. I was keeping an eye on both of them all along. As soon as I saw the one standing (also carry a baby wrapped with a blancket) moving closer to me with her hands moving under the baby blanket, I turned and stared at her straight in the eyes. The 2 women got off the bus at the next stop. I was not nervous. My backpack has many compartments, zippers, flaps and clips. Any valuables where stashed in hard to reach places. If this gypsy even tried to get her hands in my backpack, she probably would have ended up with tissues or a pen. I think the most important thing is to pay attention of your surroundings and don't have any valuables in easy to reach places (pockets, unzippered bags, etc.).

I use a small travel purse with a long strap that fits across my body. I use a large safety pin across the zipper. It is easy to take the pin out if I need to get in the purse, but prevents someone from sneaking in. My wallet is on a leash that is also pinned to the inside bottom of the purse - again preventing it from being easily slipped out - further, the wallet (cloth) is pinned closed. <BR><BR>Ditto on the advice about carrying copies (leaving an extra set in your luggage and also with someone at home is a good idea). <BR><BR>When in Rome is 2000 we saw quite a few pickpockets at work in the crowded tourist areas. I thought they were fairly brazen - as there seemed to be little consequence to them when people noticed their robbery attempts. I didn't think they were dangerous, but it did require keeping an open eye and a hand on your things. You can wear a backpacks across your chest rather than on your back in places that you feel a little more security is needed.

Items like maps and books are, generally, easily replaceable so one can assume a greater risk with them. <BR><BR>As for cameras, if you choose to take an expensive one with you, carry it close to your body and try to be aware of it as much as possible. I have a compact 35mm, for slides, which I keep in a inner zippered coat pocket when not in use and a regular 35mm,for prints, which I wear over my shoulder. Neither has been lifted in eleven trips to Europe. <BR><BR>The only time the bad guys came close to getting a camera was on my first trip when I didn't know any better and carried them both in a small daypack on my back. A guy had his hand in my pack on London tube but, fortunately, I noticed him in time and kicked him in the leg as he ran away.

I just returned from a two week trip to Italy accompanied by my parents and mother-in-law. My father must have looked the typical tourist because he had two attempted pickpocketings. Luckily we were able to thwart them before they struck. The first time was in the Rome metro station. A gypsy with a girl about 8 or 9 years old came out of nowhere as we were boarding the train. I saw them standing right behind my father when I told him to watch out and pulled him aside. As soon as I did this, the gypsy &amp; the girl ran down to the next car and got in. The second time we were in the Naples train station boarding the Circumvesuviana train when a gypsy with a baby and a blanket over her arm again came out of nowhere. I noticed her getting smack up against my father as we were boarding the train and I rammed my suitcase into her. She then took off. Luckily both attempts were stopped before they we able to get anything. So, the pickpockets are out there but you just have to be careful and have your wits about you. I carried a sturdy medium sized purse big enough to hold two cameras, sunglasses, change purse &amp; misc. small objects. I wore it across my body and kept my hand on it as much as I could. We all also wore money belts. I think pickpockets just watch and when they see a window of opportunity they take it. It got kind of tiring having to be so watchful all the time, especially at the train stations, but luckily we didn't have any problems. An American guy we met at our hotel in Sorrento had been pickpocketed. He had his wallet taken from his front pocket of his pants. He said he thought that he would feel someone in his front pocket, but he was in the train station and two people blocked the entrance to the train which caused a lot of jostling and their accomplice grabbed his wallet while he was distracted. He didn't feel it because he was being bumped from all sides. My advice would be to wear a money belt for your passport, extra money &amp; credit/atm cards, lock your airline ticket in the hotel safe and only carry the money you need for the day on you. And have a great time!

I love this picture of tourists going around shouting loudly at groups of poor immigrants and ramming cases against women with babies because they look like 'gipsies'!!!<BR><BR>Just behave like you would in any city. I've lived in Rome 2 years and never had anything robbed (nor in Paris, nor London) nor any attempts made. As a woman you're at more risk of being groped. Keep your belongings under your control, hold your bag securely in front of your body in crowded spaces, keep your arm through a loop of your rucksack and be alert. <BR><BR>But don't assume you are constantly at risk, Italy's a lovely country, you need to pay attention to its beauties and not obssess feverishly about security. Don't carry anything that it would ruin your life to lose. Be sensible. Enjoy your trip.<BR>(Oh, and try not use the expression 'fanny packs' too often in Europe, you may get very strange looks).

MD- I wear a safety pack underneath my shirt- it buckles around your waist--<BR>I keep my money and credit cards in there-<BR><BR>As for a handbag, I carry a cheap shoulder bag and only put maps and my &quot;throw-away&quot; camera ( one of the disposable kinds) in the handbag.. I put NOTHING in the handbag that I CANNOT afford to lose....<BR><BR>Since the US Travel Advisory wants you to carry the original passport with you, I would put the PASSPORT also under my clothing!!<BR><BR>The gypsies are a menace- they also try to surround you and get you off guard- while you are distracted ,one of the kids tries to pickpocket you....Keep turning in a circle and yell THIEF and that usually does it.......<BR><BR>PS - your wife can also wear a fanny pack if she wants to keep her hands free.... I also do that-although a lot of posters here seem to think that makes people aware that you are an American-- but I have also seen German tourists and Swedish tourists also wearing the fanny packs-- AGAIN--Put nothing of importance in them except maps or cheapie cameras and some change for the metro....

I think I'll follow the advice of a friend regarding bar fights: single out the biggest one and knock 'em down. If they're all women, I might get me a grope in along the way as well.<BR><BR>Just kidding...I know some of these posts are meant to reassure me, but frankly there are other posts that have me picturing some sort of ring around the rosie gangland pickpocket ring.

I just got back from Italy and had my wallet stolen in a leather shop in Florence! The pickpockets, gypsies, etc. are NOT over-stated in Italy. I can assure you. People told me about it well before I left. I had my purse across my chest, zippers towards my side, but I was in a crowded area in a leather shop looking through jackets and I am guessing that is when they just unzipped my bag and grabbed the wallet. They are good at what they do and fast! You don't even feel it! I am overly cautious with my belongings and I always tell my Mom or others to watch their bags closely. Rome is so crowded right now too. I would be careful anywhere you travel, but do be safe and cautious anywhere in Italy. There is so much to do and see there and I got tons of photos to prove it plus wonderful weather, but I did not have a good taste in my mouth from the theft....obviously. Be careful and good luck and enjoy! Just always be mindful of your purses and wallets and as other posters said, do take minimal cash and my Mom's suggestion is to tuck the money/credit cards in a side zipper compartment inside the purse and use the wallet as a sort of decoy. This way when they run off with the wallet they'll be very disappointed. I am going to do that for next time and take a photo of my middle finger (universal message in all languages :)) and put that in a decoy wallet and have my money in a small purse around my neck. Those flat neck purses are everywhere now and we got some leather ones in Italy too. Hope these ideas help. Be safe.

I have never encountered any pick-pockets and I have traveled to and stayed in Roma about 6 times. We even rode Bus #64 which apparently is a &quot;target&quot; for pickpockets as many tourists ride that line down to the ancient monuments. I carried a large Louis Vuitton over the shoulder purse, my brother had a fanny-pack. Other times he had a back-pack. When I've gone solo, I still carry my LV. I would not be concerned. If you walk assuredly and don't stop to talk to strangers but go directly to your destination, you should be fine. If you carry a lot of periphenalia with you (video camera, brochures, maps, etc) and stand out like an obvious tourist, you might indeed be a potential target. Just be savvy and street smart and you will be fine. Buon viaggio!

I'm going to resurrect this one, just one more time.<BR><BR>I would typically carry:<BR><BR>Wallet - cash, cards, id<BR>Travel papers - photo of itin and passport<BR>Camera bag - digital and dummy proof film camera<BR>Wife would have a purse<BR><BR>So I can get the little thing that you wear around your neck, under your shirt for most of it. What about my cameras? I have a bag that is about the size of a man's overnight/toiletry bag. I refuse to be so scared that I return from the trip of a lifetime without taking pictures, but I'd also like to at least return with the cameras. Should I get bags with belt clips? Carry the bag I have now? Get some pants with REAAAAALLLLLY big pockets for them?

I think, mdtravel, that you are so aware now about potential thieves that you will really be on your toes and shouldnt have to worry. I have seen camera bags that have straps that cross your chest that you can use to have your hands free. <BR><BR>But I think that if you keep your hand on the opening and a money belt you will be fine. Don't put the bag down even for a second, my friend learned that the hard way. Also, I think the waist money belts are more comfortable than the around the neck kind, after a whole day it can irritate your neck and seem like a lead weight.<BR>Have a great trip.

Ok. I'm putting this topic to bed so I can focus on planning and having fun. Thank you to everyone for sharing your experiences and thoughts!