luggage Theft from Cars in Sicily--is this really a valid concern?

We traveled by car for 11 or 12 days in eastern Sicily (Caltagirone, Ragusa, Ortigia, Giardini-Naxos, Taormina) last spring with no incidents.

We were cautious not to leave anything in the car overnight and, to the extent possible, during the daytime. We parked in secure lots, where available. When we parked the car on the streets for short periods, we left our luggage in the trunk and took everything (esp valuables) from the interior of the car. (In other words, the same as I would do in any city.)

We returned the car before arriving in Catania.

While I have not had this experience, and only rented a car for two days while in Sicily in 2014, I was cautioned about this by the Trip Adviser Sicily Expert. I was specifically planning to stop at Segesta on the way from the Palermo Airport to my lodging in Erice, with my baggage locked in the trunk. She said the parking lot at Segesta was outside and not secured, and that thieves sometimes targeted tourist cars in lots like that. “How would it impact your trip,” she asked, “if your baggage was stolen when you first arrived?” I took her advice, drove directly to my lodging, and then visited Segesta the next morning, with nothing left in my parked car.

Statistically the province of Catania is the 3rd worst nationally for auto theft per capita, after two other provinces in Puglia. Overall the probabilities of being a victim of theft are very low, but as a precaution I try not to leave anything of value exposed.

I drove all over and did not have this happen. But that really means nothing - it is unlikely to happen to any one person but always possible. I do have some suggestions to help possibly lower your risk:

• Leave everything in the trunk - nothing visible in the car
• Do not open the trunk in parking lots before leaving your car - that shows anyone watching that you have stuff inside. Have your daybag and whatever you are bringing with you in the main part of the car and bring it when you leave the parking lot.
• If anything is absolutely life-or-death essential, don't leave it in the car. I'm thinking life saving medications or something.
• Never leave stuff in the car overnight. Bring everything into the hotel.
• Common sense in choosing parking lots
• try to rent a boring, unobtrusive car.
• some people say to leave a local newspaper or something visible to indicate you aren't a tourist. I don't think this really fools anyone (rental cars come with stickers that identify them), but it's a common suggestion.

Yes, all of Mira's suggestions. We also open the suitcases left in the car and spread out a few things like the cosmetics bag. It invites the thief to rummage through our pathetic belongings and not just run away with the entire suitcase.

Luggage theft from a parked car in any unattended parking area is a valid concern pretty much everywhere, not just Sicily. Follow all the safety suggestions previously mentioned and pay attention to any warning signs in particular areas and you most likely will not be a target.

The crime stats by province are here.

Although Puglia and Sicily provinces are on top for autotheft, however Rimini, Milan, Bologna, Torino, and Florence are the top for pickpockets.

According to statistics the most violated car is the Fiat Panda. Another reason not to rent that piece of junk.

https://www.infodata.ilsole24ore.com/2017/10/09/furti-rapine-truffe-informatiche-le-classifiche-dei-reati-2016-provincia/

My piece of junk went to Vladivostok in winter and came back as if it was her usual daily stuff! And no Audi could reach us on the Autobahns... Tié!

I went to Sicily with a friend in 2014, and we had no problems with theft from the car. We were worried about it, due to all the warnings. We did follow Mira's suggestions, particularly these two:

"Leave everything in the trunk - nothing visible in the car"
"Do not open the trunk in parking lots before leaving your car - that shows anyone watching that you have stuff inside. Have your daybag and whatever you are bringing with you in the main part of the car and bring it when you leave the parking lot."

In order to accomplish these, before leaving a place, we'd consider what we would and would not need at the next stop. We'd then put the stuff we wouldn't need into the "trunk" (actually a covered hatchback compartment) and take what we would need into the passenger compartment. On arrival, we'd take anything in the passenger compartment with us, and not touch the trunk at a all until departure.

We were also worried, by the way, about the car being a hatchback with no real trunk - until we saw that almost all of the other cars, not just the rentals, were hatchbacks also.

This happened to me in San Francisco - left the car for 10 minutes to buy tickets for a show, between the airport and my brother's house. Everything was removed from the trunk in those 10 minutes. So it can happen anywhere...

As far as prevention tips, I had opened the trunk when we parked, dropped something in and closed it. Obviously someone was watching. Count on it in Sicily too, so not opening the trunk is a good suggestion.