Ok, now- Pickpockets in Venice?

Assume pickpockets are everywhere in highly tourist areas. Don't think Venice is any better or worse than any other major tourist city. You should never trade off security for anything. If you can get to it easily so can they !!

ATM card, credit card, big stash of cash--these should go into a money belt, neck pouch, or similar device worn under clothing. If you don't, you're playing with fire; and although most people get away with it, some don't--many travelers don't want to put their trip at risk for no good reason.

Follow Frank and Kent's advice and you will be fine. I always carry a little money in a pocket so that I don't have to get into my money belt for a postcard, gelato, etc. I always feel that this is my "test" money and if it gets stolen I will "know" I got pickpocketed. It has never been stolen. However, I am never carrying more than I can afford to lose. (It is usually about 20 euros) I did watch a pickpocket at work in Florence (two of them in fact) and they were not happy when I spoiled their day by announcing I was watching 2 pickpockets work the crowd. (fortunately for me, looks don't kill and my husband could have probably taken them both on and won) It may have spoiled their day, but it made mine. (and my husband was really impressed that I caught them. He didn't believe me at first, but then he watched for a couple of minutes and could see what they were doing)

Trust me -- it didn't spoil their day! Just a few minutes. Once you were gone, they went back to work.

I was pickpocketed in London and Paris, but never had a problem in italy, go figure. Besides using a moneybelt, I wore hiking pants that had pockets with buttons on them down near my knees. I kept about 50E there. My husband carried his wallet (ithought he was crazy) in him front pcoket and never had a problem. We carried a backpack, but didn't have a problem there either.

The question is -- what were you doing different in London and Paris? Or maybe it was where you were. You might scan back a couple of months on the scam site and you will see three excellent, first persons, posting on how easy it was to lose the front pocket wallet. He might decide to do something different.

We did Venice/Florence & Rome last year...don't bother with the purse...use your money belt and only put a few euro in your pockets for goodies...if you are in a store to buy something they are very nice about letting you "dig" for the money if you need to... Don't be a target with lots of jewelry and bags and such...no need to advertise you have money on you...We didn't have ANY problems and everyone was SUPER nice in all places...we had more problems with the German tourists in our last hotel...but our RS guide (also a wonderful German woman) took care of us with tact! Who knew we could be so offensive by taking a seat in the breakfast room!

Yes, pickpockets are everywhere. Do not carry anything in a purse or pocket that you can not afford to lose. Cross body purses can still be picked or stolen. I travel to Europe frequently and have seen people picked clean in many ways - ranging from a quick bump into woman to a swarm of kids all over a man like bees to honey. Very few times could they be stopped, as it happens quick and then they are gone.
The only things I carry in my pockets or bag are a small note pad with pen, guidebook, and a snack with drink. That's probably why over the years I have only been pickpocketed once. I knew he was doing it too at the time with the asking direction with a map trick and tried to get away from him. All he got was a small brown bag in my pocket I was holding onto for my daughter containing a couple of Kotex. My daughter and I had a big laugh over it and would have loved to see the look on the pickpocket's face when he opened up the bag.

Although I wear a money belt where I keep my valuables, I also have a rather large, old style camera bag. In that bag I keep my extra lens, cards and other camera related items. The bag I use has three zippers. While riding the Vaporetta in Venice there was this gentleman who had his coat draped over his arm and it hung down below his waist. I was sitting in a seat on the outside row and this gentleman walked by close enough to my camera bag so that his coat covered my bag from view. He did this just as the boat was about to stop. After passing I noticed that he had unzipped the outside zipper of my camera bag. Much to his dismay I only had a bottle of water in that particular compartment so he got nothing. I make sure I keep my camera supplies in the compartment that is located next to my body as I carry it on my shoulder. Had I reversed it he could have gotten a nice camera lens. So, not only watch your pockets but also your purses, camera bags, back packs etc. There are some slick and daring thieves roaming around who mingle with the crowds.

If you do carry a bag of some type--purse, messenger bag, daybag--and it has two zippers for each pocket, you can use a small, screw type carbiner to keep them together. (Not the quick open type).

While not locking the bag, it will take a little effort to try to get them off.

And, of course, you might want to keep the front part towards your body rather than pointing away.