wantagig

I hope this wasn't a Fodorite:

http://tinyurl.com/qv2yy

tower

wantagig:

Is there any camera in the world worth a beating that could have ended in the kid's death??

Stu T.

wantagig

Not at all Stu.

But I think it'd be my gut reaction to run after the theives. Especially if I had 100 or so shots taken on my digital. The surprise is that the thieves didn't beat him up but rather local residents did. Personally, I would not have anticipated that!

USNR

How did the old saying go..."See Naples and die." Lucky tourist.

SAnParis

I would have likely done the same thing. I've been in Banking for nearly 25 years & started in the Retail/Branch banking sector. I couldn't tell you how many bank robbers I've chased...it is pure instinct...

Dukey

I'd say the mayor of Naples was absolutely correct when characterizing the citizens' behavior as giving the impression that the city is uncivilized.

If this happens even once, then IMO it IS "uncivilized."

j_999_9

What I find interesting is why people would actively and violently protect thieves. Do they hate the police for some reason?

AnthonyGA

They are obviously tired of tourists and would prefer that tourists spend their money elsewhere in Italy. Nobody wants to visit a battle zone.

LoveItaly

1_999_9, Naples has a lot of poverty. A lot of the low income people hate all kinds of government authority. The history on this goes back a long ways. And the Camorra Crime Syndication is the problem, something the Italian government has never been able to get under control. Just like they have not been able to get the Mafia under control in Sicily.

That young American tourist is fortunate he was not killed. Upperscale hotels in Naples have been giving their hotel guest plastic Rolex watches to wear while in Naples..as they don't want them wearing their own expensive watches. Again due to the crime in Naples.

I have stayed in Naples and find it enjoyable..but one has to be "street smart" and careful.

basingstoke1

Fake Rolex watches? An officer that I met at the naval base in Naples was waiting in line at a toll booth just outside of the city when a man came over to the car, reached in through the window and tried to wrestle the Rolex look-alike off of his arm.

I don't know if it is true, but I was told that much of the street crime in Naples, particularly the strongarm muggings, is committed by Bulgarians.

handmaiden

Hey, I have to tell you that his sort of thing happens in Philly, too. A couple of years ago, a Korean grocery worker was shot by two "goodfellas" in South Philly. Neighbors were all sitting out on their stoops (hot summer night) when this happened, and when questioned by police, "nobody saw nothin'." They weren't going to implicate one of their own for a Korean. We Italians are funny that way.

My own father, Anthony, still going strong at 83, God bless him, was born and grew up in Naples. He jumped on a ship heading to Argentina when he was 16 to escape the war and poverty of the city. I say, "Pop, you wanna go back to Napoli before you die?" He says to me, "No way, no how, Chrissy." He always hated Napoli.

Christine

SeaUrchin

Naples shouldn't be romanticized, it is a gritty port city. It is vibrant, interesting, cultural, exciting but not necessarily safe. Local residents will tell you this.

Eric_S

Don't mean to bash all neapolitans but, it's true that there is more poverty in Naples than in other (not all) italian cities, there is also a widespread culture of illegality and insufference for the law. Just as a small indicator, in Naples nearly nobody respects traffic lights and street signs. Most small business in the old center pay a fee to the local mafia, less they want their business burned down. To park your car, you often need to pay illegal "parking fees" unless you want them to break your windows. There are often riots against the police when they arrest well known criminals. It used to be even worse years ago. Given all this, I don't know if I'd have chased the thieves in a small alley like this guy did...

Pegontheroad

USNR:

I love your response. Just a tad ironical.

AnthonyGA

Corruption breeds poverty (except among a privileged few). I've always heard bad things about Naples, but it sounds a lot worse than I thought. Is Sicily like this?

bill_boy

<<<<<<<<<<<
A couple of years ago, a Korean grocery worker was shot by two "goodfellas" in South Philly ... when this happened, and when questioned by police, "nobody saw nothin'." They weren't going to implicate one of their own for a Korean. We Italians are funny that way.
>>>>>>>>>>>

It's mostly due to the fear of ratting out on a local goodfella and which, undoubtedly, will result in severe consequence for the rat and his/her family.

ira

>The surprise is that the thieves didn't beat him up but rather local residents did. Personally, I would not have anticipated that!<

Ummmmmmmm. Fella chases thieves on a moto.

Thieves pull into alley.

Fella runs into alley.

"Local residents" beat on fella.

You don't think that the thieves just went home?

caroline_edinburgh

AnthonyGA: no, Sicily is not like Naples. But I spent a week in Naples in June & loved it - we just took the same sort of precautions we'd take in any city, e.g. I kept my hand on my handbag.

bellastarr

AnthonyGA-

Sicily is a large island. Suggest you google "Giovanni Falcone" to inform yourself about some of the hiistory of the Sicilian Mafia.

Naples is a city. NEVER compare Naples to Sicily in front of the locals or you will be taken into the nearest alley and.....

willit

Statistically, Catania on Sicily is a more violent city than Naples.

The reason so many Americans of Italian extraction trace their roots back to Sicily and the South is because these areas have been poor for centuaries.

I realise that just because I have not been personally effected by crime in Naples, it doesn't make it safe. I have always found Neoplitans to be among the friendliest and most helpful people in Italy.