Am I Paranoid about Pickpockets in Rome?

Robert, the good news is that as a tourist in Rome, or anywhere in Italy, you probably will not experience ANY crime. The worst that might happen is petty theft. Pickpockets are a problem if you fail to protect your money, passport, or jewelry. If you secure money, credit cards, and passport in a money belt that is worn completely under your clothing whenever you leave your hotel room, you should be fine. Do not leave valuables sitting around your hotel room. Leave jewelery that is easily snatched (necklaces, for example) at home. You can't keep people out of your personal space while using public transit or while walking around a bustling city. Pickpockets might attempt to create a diversion, but generally they are "invisible" in that their victims never even notice them. So, just keep everything tucked away in an inaccessible money belt.

You win by not having anything for them to steal. Keep anything important in a moneybelt or neck wallet. For me that means passport, tickets (if you have any paper tickets), credit/debit cards and back up cash. Never access it publicly, use a restroom or other private place and look around carefully before you leave (in case something accidentally fell out). Reduce what you are carrying to "one handle" and keep track of it. If you're shopping put everything into one bag. If you're taking a metro to your hotel, carry one bag only (not one bag plus a purse). The more you carry, the harder it is to keep track of - you become an easier target. A little distraction gives thieves the opportunity they need to take something without you noticing. I lost a camera on a bus in Munich because I was carrying too much, since then the one-handle rule seems to work. I don't wear anything that makes me look particularly well-off. No expensive jewelry or camera equipment. Thieves will target the person who looks like they have something to steal, they won't take rings off your fingers but they'll probably pay more attention to someone with a big diamond ring. Finally, I do carry a little cash in my front pocket (no wallet). It's just spending money so I don't have to get into my moneybelt. If I lose that, it's not a big deal - so far I haven't lost it (maybe because of the other measures I take, or maybe because the worry about thieves is overblown).

Robert, While there are pickpockets and scammers in most towns in Europe, I wouldn't be too "paranoid" about them. If you take normal precautions (Money Belt, etc.), you shouldn't have any problems. On your questions..... a) There will be thieves in Rome and other cities ("Union Rules" as Rick often says). They typically operate in "teams", but whether there will be "that many" is impossible to say. b) Sometimes it's unavoidable to have others in your "personal space". Crowds are a part of travel in Europe, whether in public transit or in Museums, etc. Try to be "situationally aware", especially if distractions occur. If a "helpful individual" points out that you have Pigeon dung on your clothes, politely tell him to p!$$ off. If there's something on your clothing, deal with it yourself. c) Words to get rid of them - similar to described above. Actions - eye contact and body language. If they know you're aware of what they're up to, they will usually disappear. d) NO! Public transit is generally safe. I've ridden on the Metro in Rome, Paris and other cities, and never had a problem. I've also used the dreaded #64 & #40 Buses in Rome in very crowded conditions, and no problems. The Leonardo Express from the airport has always been safe, in my experience. Venice, Naples and Tuscany are as safe as anywhere else in Europe. Of course, there are "dodgy" areas in each of those cities that wouldn't be advisable to travel at night. I've seen examples of travellers becoming complacent in more "rural" areas (ie: C.T.) and being victimized, so the bottom line is "always be vigilant". I'm sure you're aware that a Money Belt shouldn't be accessed while others can see. Happy travels!

Robert, One additional point to add (ran out of room in the previous reply). During travels in Europe, I'm usually carrying a rather large and expensive DSLR Camera. While that should be a "beacon" for thieves, I've never experienced any theft attempts. I'm a "larger" individual who visits the Gym regularly, so perhaps that helps?

Robert, that's all good advice above. On a related note you said you were using your moneybelt in Mexico yet you had your wallet and passport stolen. This helpline has been searching for a person who has lost items while wearing a moneybelt. I think you are the first. If you don't mind, can you relate how it happened? Thanks.

Assume you'll be pickpocketed - don't carry anything you don't mind getting pick-pocketed. All big cities the same. Barcelona is very bad in areas too. Use your room safe.
S

Money belts are very useful, but they don't prevent anyone getting robbed; they simply cut your losses. By keeping excess cards/cash, and passport in your money belt under your clothing, you limit the loss from a robbery to just a days spending money stored in your wallet.

You say "I took precautions with money belts, etc." but your wallet and passport were stolen in Mexico. How exactly did that happen?

It is relative. People will always post and talk about the bad experience, those that were pickpocket, etc. and those that don't have problems, don't. Since the earlier 90s we have spent nearly a year traveling in Europe in some of the great pickpockets capitals of the world - three weeks in Rome, two weeks in Madrid and the infamous flea market, etc. and have never had a problem or even close to a problem - that we know of. We take the usual precautions, dress appropriately, etc. I am more apprehensive when I go to New York city. The vast majority of tourists have no problems.

Hi Robert. As others have noted, a properly-used moneybelt will almost completely eliminate this problem. As the previous response noted, New York City is probably much more dangerous than most any place a tourist is likely to go in Europe. Having said that, I was a potential pickpocket victim in the Metro in Rome. After I boarded and as the doors were about to close, a young woman with a baby slung in front of her boarded quickly. I soon felt somebody trying to rummage through my (empty) pant's pockets. I turned and stared her in the face and she quickly moved on. As I was wearing my moneybelt, it didn't really bother me at all--just one of those cultural experiences that Rick mentions! As with most aspects of travel, proper preparation makes things go much more easily, and can in this case ease any paranoia about pickpockets.

Almost all European thieves work with stealth. A victim will never even know it untill later when they reach for their (missing) wallet. If you have a proper money belt, that simply cannot happen. At least in no way that I know of. In rarer but not infrequent (in some cities) cases, thieves work in groups and distract a victim while another picks the pocket. Roaming bands of gypsy children or a mommy carrying a baby that distracts you are the most common. When approached by them, immediately and forcefully say no and wave your hands to brush them aside. They will run off to their next target. And again, if you have a proper money belt, they cannot access it anyway. In even rarer cases, a thief will use a grab-and-run method. Say you leave your camera sitting on your cafe table, or sling a purse over the back of a chair. Or even if you pull out your valuables in crowded public conditions. The best defense against such actions are to limit or avoid having anything valuable in easy reach and to be aware of your surroundings when accessing valuables. I too would like to know how your passport was stolen in Mexico if you had it in a money belt. Don't be embaressed, it helps us all to learn from others.

I read all the same stuff and was apprehensive (make that paranoid) about going to Rome. I wore a money belt and my wife left her purse in the room we were so paranoid. Turns out she loved not carrying anything and didn't have a care in the world. I only had a little cash in my pocket and never worried either. Turns out Rome is so magnificent that we soon forgot about petty theft and just loved our time there.

I spent a week in Rome two years ago, and had heard all the stories. I was actively looking for pickpockets, but never even had a hint of any issue. I can say that I have never felt safer in a major city than I did in Rome. Keep your smarts about you and enjoy your visit!

Richard made a couple of good points. ......Turns out she loved not carrying anything....... I have quit recommending no purse. Because every time I did Pat jumps on me for not understand female need attachments. It took my wife about three trips to completely scale down to no purse and break the attachment. Now we carry a few critical items in an old, scruffy day bag along with some other junk and never have a concern or problem. There has been several postings about purses going missing. Just remember, if you don't have a purse, it cannot go missing.

I'll be Robert doesn't carry a purse, so no worries there.

It sounds like you're also confusing pickpockets - who are going to do your best to not let you know they're robbing you, and scam artists. I haven't been to Rome but I carried my purse all over Barcelona and Paris, including in neighborhoods that RS deems "sketchy". I only used public transit in these cities. I carry my purse on my shoulder with my hand over it, which is both comfortable and completely prevents someone from putting their hands in my bag without my knowledge or quickly grabbing it away from me. I agree it can be nice to travel without a purse but that's unrealistic for me. My purse is big enough that I can put most purchases in it as well. No need for hassling with extra shopping bags. At restaurants, particularly outdoor ones, I don't hang the bag over the back of my chair, but I put it at my feet. And needless to say, this is a cheap Target purse, not the latest Coach bag, so it's OK if it gets dirty and it doesn't scream "I'm rich!" For a guy, it depends on how much you need to carry. My husband uses a messenger bag worn diagonally across his chest, keeping his hand over front when in crowded areas/on public transit. I think this is a much better alternative to a backpack - which is easily robbable on public transit. Otherwise, moneybelt is fine, or even keeping your wallet in in a deep front pocket (provided you have a nice thin wallet - too many dudes travel with giant easy target wallets!) As far as scams go, just make sure you're up on what they are. Learn to spot the scammers and if approached, say "No" loudly (preferably in the local language) and keep on walking. They can't force you to listen to their scam. If someone starts talking to you and you realize it's a scam - just walk away. You aren't obligated to listen to them.

Frank is making me laugh because Pat from Victoria sure does love her purse! Now, Pat, don't get mad at me, but it reminds me of my great-grandmother who had to carry her pocketbook with her from room to room. I have been purse-free for years in real life, and only carry a day bag for travel stuff like book, map, and water when I travel. Robert, the important thing is to divide and protect your stuff. You don't want everything in one place because if it's stolen or lost, you then have nothing.

how is a "daypack" different than a backpack? are you just talking about a backpack? why on earth would anyone under 24 carry a backpack around? it's like screaming "hey i'm a tourist and i'm a target!" it is so easy to get into a backpack on public transit if it's crowded and you're standing. you know, locals in all these places? CARRY PURSES. they carry messenger bags and they sure don't use moneybelts. I'm not saying moneybelts are bad but a lot of the obsesssion over this topic is so overblown. Locals also carry their credit card and their money in their purse. and other valuables. so much for "living like a local." but jeez, even if nothing in your "daypack" is valuable - although I imagine at least the camera is - it's better to not have stuff stolen. just, you know, take the same precautions you would in a major U.S. city, since all the major European cities are safer anyway. i mean really anything you carry will be fine if you have situational awareness and are aware that people might be trying to get into your bag or pocket. that's it. it's so not worth freaking out over. edit: I just realized that RS recommends a daypack - his daypack. huh. it's a stupid idea imo, unless you're really totally fine with anything in it being stolen. i can't fathom a travel logic where a purse is verboten but a backpack makes sense. a camera is something most people don't want to lose or have stolen.

"...I just realized that RS recommends a daypack - his daypack. huh. it's a stupid idea imo, unless you're really totally fine with anything in it being stolen..." A day pack may look a bit like a small backpack (designs vary - some only have one strap) but are usually worn over only one shoulder for easy access. They are intended for keeping things like guide books, food and water, more than valuables - though if you need to carry electronics with you, that's where they would be. Thieves are not very interested in anything but cash. They don't care about your camera or your electronics. They want your wallet. It is true that if you are walking around with a giant backpack on your back - in and out of tight spaces like trams and subways - people could, without your knowing it, sneakily unzip a zipper. But unless the zipper has a sign on it saying "All my tiny, easy to palm valuables can be found in here", they are unlikely to go that route. For all they know, the'll just get a handful of unwashed underwear. Plus, that puts their hand near eye level - not where they want them. The only thing that was ever stolen from us on any of our trips to Europe was a camera in a case with a strap that my DW left draped over the back of a chair as we walked away from a cafe. 5 minutes later, it was gone. We were stupid. If you avoid being stupid, it is very unlikely you will have any trouble Which, by the way, is exactly the same logic you should apply in any city, anywhere, even in the good ol' USA. No need to denigrate Mr. Steves for suggesting a day bag. Many people use them. There is nothing wrong with purses either, and long as they are something close to tamper-proof and as long as you don't sling it over the back of a chair and then walk away.

"Thieves are not very interested in anything but cash. They don't care about your camera or your electronics. They want your wallet." lol um you just told me your camera got stolen. why would that happen if thieves didn't want it? i lived in a major crime-ridden u.s. city and had my home broken into and my cars broken into several times. thieves were not looking for cash, they were looking for valuables to pawn. electronics and jewelry. electronics are absolutely at risk of being stolen and should not be kept on your back if you are traveling in crowded areas or on public transit. it's just too easy. i mean unless you just don't care about them. but are you really saying thieves don't want to steal iphones? really? they absolutely do. a bunch of people on this thread are going on about the dangers of carrying purses. are they all carrying backpacks - sorry, daypacks - instead? this is boggling my mind right now.

This thread is about pickpockets of the bump-n-go variety, not burglers, and not crimes of opportunity like leaving a bag unnattended.

Ah, some people confuse their opinion with facts. Narrow minds are easily boggled. They want to take their experience and project it to everyone. We have used a day bag for over 18 years. Much different than a purse. Never had a problem and never lost anything. It is really a matter of how you handle it. There was a posting within the past six months where someone lost all his money from a money belt at the Eiffel Tower. When the details were finally extracted from him it was the improper use of a money belt that did him in. A properly handled day bag is fairly secure except for a mugging where someone rips the bag from your hand. But up to that point it works well. The whole issue is not whether or not you use a money belt, carry or don't carry a day bag, use or not a purse, etc. It is how you handle those items, how you present yourself, and how you deal with crowded situation such as buses and subways. You have to have a sense of security or else they will get you.

I don't carry a wallet to Europe at all. I use a "hidden pocket" type money belt, have the RS zippered wallet in a front pocket with only one day's worth of spending money. I think that's being sensible not paranoid. Beyond that, Frank's advice is good-be aware of things around you. I've never had a problem, even on subways in Barcelona.

What I call a day bag you might call a purse-it's a messenger bag. I use only when travelling because that's when I need that stuff. I don't need a map at home, my book is in my house or my car, as is my water bottle. Don't need a mini first aid kit or ibuprofen or reading glasses because all that is either in my car, at home, or at work.

I've spent several weeks in Europe in major cities (Rome included) and have never had any issue. I don't carry a money belt. I bring only the absolute necessities in my messanger bag purse for the day and lock everything else (passport, etc) in the hotel room safe. If you look like you're aware of your surroundings, you won't have an issue. As long as the purse has a zip closure and you keep your hand over it when riding public transport, etc you will be fine. Pickpockets like easy targets, like people who look especially "touristy" (young people especially), people who look lost or confused, and people who look oblivious to what's going on around them (concentrating on their phone, their map, etc). I live in downtown Charlotte right now, and I'm more afraid of being mugged here than I was about being pickpocketed in Rome, and Charlotte has an extremely safe downtown area. Theives here have knives and guns. In Rome the worst case scenerio is you lose a few Euros and credit cards that can easily be cancelled. Stop worrying and enjoy yourself!

Randy, the whole conversation seemed to start from an original poster who confused pickpockets with scam artists. The conversation then went into the dangers of carrying purses. This obviously is at this point a conversation about street crime against tourists in general. Frank, I knew my response would rile some people as it goes against RS dogma but I'd never been called "narrow-minded" for having an opinion about shoulder-wear before! A new for me! As a resident in Europe, I carry a purse. Locals do not carry backpacks which is what the RS daypack is. I agree that most people here won't be able to pull off looking like a local anyway, but making it obvious that you're a tourist is never a good idea when it comes to deterring crime. "Opinions vs facts" lol whatever dude. It's a fact that most locals in European cities do not wear backpacks. My opinion is wearing one will make you stand out as a tourist and thus more prone to being targeted for theft. I agree that in general situational awareness is more important than what kind of bag you carry - as I stated in my first post on this thread - and there are ways to be safe carrying almost anything, even the dreaded rolling luggage or whatever. But I find this cult of the moneybelt stuff weird when the same people are advocating "daypacks" which are backpacks. And I find it weird when people advocate moneybelts and backpacks while they also talk about "living like a local" and act as if carrying a purse is begging to be robbed. It's just nonsensical. It's become clear that a lot of people get a sense of false security from the moneybelt thing while continuing to not understand the big picture. But what do I know? Everyone's been to europe for 100 nights or whatever, I clearly have no knowledge of the issue.

Actually, Sarah, I was surprised when I was in Paris in December at how many young Parisian men & women I saw with backpacks going to work in the morning and they were too old to be students. On the buses and on the metro ...maybe they have their laptops in them? But then, that was only Paris, I can't speak for the whole of Europe or all Europeans.

I find this argument all a little absurd. Europeans wear daypacks, carry purses, carry messenger bags, carry laptop cases. This is all personal preference. People should carry what works for them. Gee, when I lived in Europe I was issued a backpack for my laptop by my European company. In fact, the backpack that I still use when I need one was purchased in Sweden. When I travel, I carry a purse. It is my preference. If I needed more space, I might take a messenger bag or daypack ... but I don't carry a lot around with me. And the argument about what people do when they live in Europe versus what they do when they travel really does not apply. It is all about how much risk an individual wants to assume. I had my wallet nicked from my purse in London when I lived there. I was careless ... coming out of a tube station with the purse dangling behind me. It was no big deal because I lived there and could go back to my flat where I had food, cash, etc. If I had been travelling this would have been far more inconvenient. So if people want to wear a moneybelt when they travel, who cares? While theft is not as common as it seems to be hyped to be, I know plenty of people who have lost things while travelling. A Swedish friend of mine put her purse under the table at a German beer hall (she was living in Munich) and when she went to leave it was gone. Another set her purse down on a dock in Sweden during Midsommar and forgot to bring it onto the boat. It is kind of hard to lose something that is strapped around your waist. If someone wants to wear a moneybelt on their trip and that allows them to feel safer from theft, who cares?

I must live and travel in a different Europe, I guess? Because I have been to Paris 4 times just this year, and Berlin 4 times, and I could go on but it would bore people. I generally only see backpacks on student types, students may be older than you're used to seeing in the U.S. since Europeans tend to delay college/stay in college longer than in the U.S. My point is not that one type of bag is inherently risky, that the idea that carrying a wallet or a purse is automatically risky but a backpack is not is what strikes me as absurd. I think I've made that abundantly clear. I don't care that people use moneybelts, I hate the cultish fearmongering that if you don't use one, you're automatically going to be robbed, and found this incredibly bizarre when I realized it was also contrasted with RS advice to use a backpack to store electronics in. That is what boggles my mind but apparently isn't clear. It just seems so arbitrary. I think carrying a brightly colored RS daypack will make you stand out, if you're cool with that more power to you. I don't obsess over crime and theft because I think basic awareness is more important than how you store your money. I am just irritated at the idea that if you don't use a moneybelt, you're an idiot who is asking to be robbed.

"I am just irritated at the idea that if you don't use a moneybelt, you're an idiot who is asking to be robbed." Sarah, I agree with you on that. Just think the whole topic is something people seem to get awfully worked up about. By the way, I too rarely use a moneybelt and typically secure my valuables in other ways. I agree that there are other ways to secure things. However, I have seen a couple of tourists get pickpocketed too and being a pickpocket victim myself have no problem if people advocate wearing a moneybelt. I use a moneybelt when I need to.

I don't think anyone is suggesting that if a visitor in Europe doesn't use a moneybelt, he/she will automatically be robbed. Nor is anyone saying that if a tourist carries a purse, she will instantly become a crime victim. What I believe to be true is that a) tourists often carry cash, credit cards, passports, etc., that are valuable and attractive to pickpockets, and b) we may also be a bit more vulnerable to theft because we drag around luggage, look less certain about where we're going, all while juggling cameras, maps, and guidebooks.
Common sense says that we can most effectively protect valuables by keeping them tucked away in a money belt. Do I ever carry a purse in Europe? Yep, sometimes I do. But if I'm going to be in particularly crowded areas such as outdoor markets, or climbing on and off trains and buses with luggage, I switch to a moneybelt.

So who is more obnoxious - the person that says "you have to do x or you're a fool" or the person that says "people who do x are fools, do y instead"? All this talk about theft in Europe as if it's somehow a greater threat than in central NYC, Chicago or LA is absurd. Take care of your money. Would you walk around Manhattan with a giant wad of $100 bills in your back pocket? Of course not. Don't do it (with Euros) in Europe either. Personally, Since I've always been a front-pocket guy and don't carry a fat wallet, I've never felt the need for a money belt. It just seems like overkill to me. We don't keep all our eggs in one basket. In the unlikely event I got nicked, we would say adios to the 20 euros in the wallet, swear a little, make a phone call to the bank related to the one c.card that went missing, and go on with life using one of the other 3-4 cards we have on hand in other locations. I've traveled with a both a standard bookbag-type backpack at times, and with a stylish leather messenger bag other times as a day-bag. At no time did I spend a moment scanning the sidewalks to see how well I was fitting in. I just don't care. Anyone who claims to know how to not look like a tourist is full of it. The minute you pull out your camera, spend any time in a trinket shop, or open your mouth, the world knows you're a tourist, if not sooner. You can, however, try to avoid looking like a boob. So don't bring the seed-corn hat or wear that "Go Georgia Bulldogs!" t-shirt. I think the pickpockets go for those people first - or at least I hope they do...

I was extremely nervous about all the thieves and pickpockets before my first trip to Europe...especially Italy... after the first few hours there I realized how riduclious this was...no different than traveling in cities in the US. From my experience there are way more pickpockets in Mexico. If you feel the need for a moneybelt, then wear it. Thousands of people travel to these cities every day and if given the chance most return... not likely if they felt threatened.

Certain cities in Europe are reputed to offer a greater chance of being pickpocket or robbed by stealth...Rome, Barcelona, Madrid, Naples, Paris, Prague. If you want to play the odds of getting your "stuff" stolen, that is not going to happen in German cities, unless it's just a real bad luck day. I don't use a moneybelt there, never have, and must be one of the idiots traveling "asking to be robbed." One just has to develop a feel for the place in Germany and Austria, aside from practicing common sense. Would I wear a moneybelt in Stuttgart and Paris and Frankfurt an der Oder? If at all, it's going to be Paris and Rome. Carrying a daypack tells the thief that presumably some valuables must be there aside from clothes and drinks. I don't carry one. It's the first thing targeted. @Robert...One suggestion on how to to keep the scammers and "beggars" away is what I saw a friend of mine did in Budapest in 2010 as they approached him. He saw them walking towards him and started yelling repeatedly in English..."Here they come" and yelled other things to draw attention. He didn't try to avoid them but headed right towards them. It worked. The two girls backed off.

I'd love to hear the logic as to how a "properly handled day bag is fairly secure" and also how said "day bag is much different than a purse". Whether you want to call it a day pack, day bag, backpack, or messenger bag, it's basically the same as carrying a purse. I carry a purse, keep my valuables mostly at the hotel in a safe and the rest scattered in various spots both on myself and throughout the purse, plus I have backup ATM & credit cards (different accounts so if one has to be shut down due to theft or loss, I can still continue with my trip). I also keep it zipped, in front of me and have 1 hand on it when I am walking down the street, in a crowd, or on public transit. I don't leave my purse dangling off the back of a chair, on the floor by my feet, or wander about town with it wide open. I am used to living in a big city where you need to practice situational awareness a lot more often than someone from East Podunk who drives everywhere. So is that a "properly handled" purse? I'm guessing some will surely say it's not the same as the properly handled Rick Steve's Civita Day Bag or the Fort Knox of Day Bags (aka "Pacsafe").

Yes, all ages do wear back packs, it isn't just students or tourists, though younger people will be found with them more often. Messenger bags are a lot more common, for all ages. Wearing a purse? Well, if you are wearing it on just one shoulder, then yes, you do risk having it grabbed off of you. Have personally seen this happen. You can of course employ the "tourist clutch", which I often see with tourists holding onto their purses for dear life, which of course looks odd and marks them more as a tourist than if they just casually wore their purse. Hey, there must be something of worth in there! If you want to wear a purse, at least get one with a strap that you can wear crosswise across your body. This method means you don't ever have to take it off at restaurants, on the train, etc. Messenger bags would be my first choice. One, you don't have to take it off to remove your camera, water, guide book, etc. nor take it off to sit down on a train or in a restaurant, and you also know you aren't bumping people with it. I can't tell you how often I get hit in the head by back packs! I truly hate them to be honest. As to keeping anything of worth in a back back, that would just be foolish. The best messenger bags will have a flap that completely folds down over the zipped up bag itself, with a fastening at the bottom. I would say this is pretty theft proof. When I travel on train or plane, I do wear a neck wallet that keeps my tickets, etc. handy. Other than that, I leave my passport and tickets in my hotel room or hotel safe, when I am out and about sightseeing. Personal experiences with pick-pocketing - husband had passport stolen from his back pocket at Milan airport. Friend had wallet stolen from backpack in Munich. Another friend had a guy opening her backpack at a street corner while we waited at the crossing. I caught him doing this, and yelled. Milan again.

Just to weigh in here.... I live in England with my wife and whenever we go out, to work or to London or other day out - except going to do chores we each have a backpack. Not huge ones but enough to carry water, any maps, a book to read, the Ipod, the GPS and anthing else for the journey. On trips to London we wear a moneybelt. On holiday in Europe its the same but we add the moneybelt. Witnessed pickpocketing twice - Paris and Milan. Think we witnessed it in Florence near SMN. Wife had bum bag pinched and wallet stolen in Amsterdam. Got it back when we shouted and driver didn't let him off until he dropped it. No loss except my wife threw away all bum bags. Back pack zipper opened at Osttiense station in Rome, nothing lost.

Jo - that's the kind of messenger bag my husband uses, he loves it and finds it comfortable and really secure. short of a straight-up mugging, nobody is getting that bag or getting in that bag. as far as the purse goes, i think it's possible to keep it relatively secure without the tourist death grip - i tend to walk with my elbow over the front of the purse, with my hand holding the strap. it's not even something i do because i'm scared of tourists, it's just a comfortable way to wear it. but i do agree that cross-body purses are going to be somewhat safer. i actually want a messenger bag of my own, they're stylish and convenient and unisex.

My husband and I just returned from Italy and no one tried to pickpocket us. My husband is 6 foot, 250lbs and we are in our early 30s so maybe the thiefs didn't want to take the chance that my husband would fight back? We did not wear money belts, but we did take certain precautions. I never set down my purse unless we were inside. Even then, I never hung my purse on the back of my chair. I always placed it next to me where I could watch it. We were very cautious. When a man seemed to follow us in Florence we ducked into a coffee shop. I always faced my purse so that my purse zipper was in front of me, not behind me. I stored a few euros in my change purse, but stored all larger bills in the zipped compartment in the middle of my purse. A thief would have had to open two zippers to get to my money and by then I would hope I would notice that! The purse I took tends to catch on the zipper so I would have felt a theif pulling at my bag. I never, ever sat down my purse at the museums or while taking pictures. My husband carried his wallet in his front pocket and he does not wear loose pants. Since we were traveling in April my husband wore a light jacket and would carry valuables in the inside pocket of the jacket. A thief would have had to take off my husband's jacket to get to his valuables. If my husband took off his jacket I held it. If you look alert a theif is not going to bother you. If you are casually dangling your valuables in arm's reach and you are too busy checking out the view or taking pictures you'll probably get robbed.