From most things I have read, and people I've spoken with, it seems like there are many warnings about pickpocketting in Italy. So, I have a few questions:
1) How widespread is it? Any certain area in Venice, Florence, or Rome, that are worse than other areas?
2) What have people done to deal with it? Traveller's Cheques?
3) Any suggestions? What's the safest thing to do to protect one's self/money?
Anywhere in the world you travel, there's always going to be pickpockets. Your best defense is to assume you will be robbed, and minimize the damage by only carrying a days spending money in your wallet. Excess cash, credit cards, and passport should always stored in a hotel room safe, or money belt/neck pouch hidden under your clothing:
It is not uncommon, especially in the tourist circles. By not carrying huge wads of cash, hiding your valuables appropriately, and trying to fit in, you should be able to avoid them. Here is a video some tourists took which clearly shows the modus operandi of one little gypsy:
The best advice is to stay alert, especially in places crowded by tourists. Pickpockets like to blend into a crowd.
Pickpockets usually strike people who appear to be distracted, looking at the sights, dealing with their children, fiddling with their camera, etc. Many of them work in teams, with one team member assigned to distract you in some way while the others move in to pick your pockets.
Carry your wallet in your front pants pocket and, when you get in a crowd in a touristy area, walk with your hands in your pockets.
I was crossing the Ponte Vecchio in Florence a few weeks ago, pressing my way through a solid mass of people, when I noticed that every single man there was walking with his hands in his pockets. When you walk that way, the only way they can rob you is to assault you. That's not likely.
Traveler's Checks are considered passé, and I hear most merchants in Italy won't even accept them. These days people carry a debit card, protected by a PIN, to get cash as needed from the ATMs, then use the cash, or credit cards, for making direct purchases from merchants. I generally use a credit card when I can, and only use cash when I can't put a purchase on the card. That way I don't have to go so often to the ATM for more cash.
Take several cards on your trip (leaving most of them safely back at the hotel) in case you lose one and have to call and cancel it. Be sure to keep each card's contact info, so if you lose your card you can quickly call and cancel the card before they can crack your PIN.
Contrary to the feeling you may get from all this, most people NEVER get their pocket picked and NEVER lose a credit card. This is especially true of people who remain alert, make a few preparations, and are careful.
On a RS tour in Spain (Madrid, I think) our tour guide suddenly halted her talk to us out in a plaza and stared at a man near us. We look around and saw several men at the periphery of our group. Our guide said if you want to know what these men are up to, just watch their eyes. They will be looking at pockets and bags for pickpocketing possibilities. I think in a group sometimes we are less alert to our surroundings.
Another time, on another RS tour, there were two men following our group a little too closely. I noticed them and alerted the people closest to the men. Maybe they just meant to pass us, but I was suspicious.
I doubt that anybody would have their passport "lifted" from a moneybelt worn correctly. Some women think their stuff is safe if they have a purse with a cable strap. Purses can be left behind in bathrooms (I've done that!), they can be opened and robbed without making their owner aware.
Another way to avoid losing your money: make sure you get the proper change when you buy something. Unfortunately, short-changing is common in Italy. The "slow count" seems to be widely practiced, but not by everyone in that country. It helps to carry small bills and coins; paying with a large bill makes the slow count work more easily. You give a 50, and get change back for a 20. Pay attention. I have a habit of organizing my money by denomination, so I am slow to leave a cash register; this helps prevent the slow count, because I'm still standing there for a while after paying.
There has been some great advice given....here's a extra:
1) Wear a moneybelt....they come in four varieties:
The type worn around your waist
The type worn around your neck
The type with loops which your belt goes through and then it hangs down inside your pant let (known as a hidden pocket)
The type worn around your lower leg (this one has a tendency to drop as your leg swells or sweats.)
All are meant to be worn UNDER your clothes
2) Keep only a days worth of spending money in your wallet with perhaps one credit card or debit card. If you really want to add a layer of protection get a Pacsafe Wallet. I like these so much I started using it all the time.
3) If you carry a daybag, keep it in front of you when on public transport. If it's a backpack worn on your back, find a way, either with a lock or carabiner, to keep the zippers shut. Pickpockets look for an easy target. Make it difficult for them, and they move on.
4) I also suggest you read the Tourist Scam Alert on the Grafitti Wall just to be aware of the type of things going on. Not to scare you, but to educate you.
Never, never, never -- carry a billfold in the front pocket. While it may be a degree or two safer than a rear pocket, and walking with hand on it also telegraphs where it is. And if you don't believe me just search back. There were a couple of great postings within the last six months on the scam site of people who lost front pocket billfolds and one thought he had his hand on it all the time. Obviously he didn't.
But to answer some of Bob's questions directly. (1) Pickpocketing and petty theft is a problem and probably a little worse than the US side. An article in a travel magazine a couple of years report an Interpol statistic that one Am in four problems. Which means that 3 out of 4 do not. And it is probably worst in areas with high concentration of tourists -- just where you want to go.
(2) CORRECT use of a money belt prevents a lot of problems.
(3) Earlier reference to money belt is correct. Second, I don't carry a billfold. We like the specialized travel clothing with zipper secured pockets. I distribute my daily cash, credit cards, etc. on my body. A little cash in one pocket, credit card in another, passport in a third -- etc. That way, IF a pocket is hit, haven't lost much. In 300+ days of travel in some of the great pickpocket capitols of the world, we have never had a problem.
Just to touch back on the the Travellers Checks. Don't bother,,they are hard to use, not widely accepted and frankly ,, bulky..
Use your ATM card to withdraw a few days money at a time, keep all money EXCEPT for the amount you project you will need each day in your moneybelt or hotel safe. Keep Passport and CC in same place. Even if I am pickpocketed I will only lose one days cash and no important cards or documents.
Bob,
Don't let fears of pickpockets spoil your travels! Follow the advice of previous posters here, stay aware of your surroundings, and you should be fine. Traveling in some parts of the USA can be just as dangerous, or more so. Although stories circulate about pickpockets, I understand that physically harmful crimes, like assault, are quite rare in Europe. We have traveled several times overseas and have never had a problem. However, we did see a group of gypsy children at work in St. Peter's square 10 years ago. They buzzed around their victim, laughing and playing a chase game to distract him, and made off with his watch. It all happened so quickly that they were gone before anyone realized what had happened.
My father-in-law loves to tell this story from his trip to Italy about 25 years ago. As he was crossing a busy bridge a woman bumped up beside him and he felt her hand reach into his pocket. She shook her hand and shouted a curse at him as she realized her loot was the rosary he always carried!
"There were a couple of great postings within the last six months on the scam site of people who lost front pocket billfolds and one thought he had his hand on it all the time."
No doubt we could find a few anecdotal instances to prove almost any point. I'm not saying that using the front pockets is 100% perfect. We must weigh convenience vs. risk. I'll go on with my day's spending money in my front pocket, and when I'm in a crowd I'll put my hand in my pockets and make fists so they can't be easily removed. If they're going to rough you up enough to pull your hand out of your front pocket and take your wallet, then yes, anything could happen. Also, there are cell phone and car keys to consider. I keep them in my front pockets too, and guard them carefully if I'm in a crowd.
I would never put irreplaceable things I'm carrying, like passport and debit card, outside the money belt. But for things like the day's cash and the credit card I'm using for purchases through the day, I'm perfectly willing to risk that in a well-guarded front pocket vs. having to go to the bathroom stall to retrieve money from the money belt every time I want to buy a gelato or pay for a cappuccino.
Patrick that's exactly what everyone is recommending:
keep a day's spending money in your wallet, everything else in hotel room safe, or money belt.
I am not adding that much to all the previous posts but don't forget to say "va via" to all gypsies, beggars, and the like. "Va via" means "go away"! Say it like you mean it and repeat it, if necessary. Look them right in the eye. Remember, that most gypsies are women with children...don't be deceived by the baby in their arms. They just want to rip you off. Also be especially mindful when riding buses. They are often crowded and the ones that fill with tourists are a favorite haunt for pickpockets. You will see gypsies hanging around bus stops and they will spot their target and follow them onto the bus. I always carry two smaller wallets. One with my "big" money in a small zippered pocket in the front of my pants and one that I use more often to pay for gelato, etc... in another pocket. Never keep all your credit cards in one wallet because if you loose it, you are in big trouble. Don't carry and flash around a fancy camera....it just labels you as a wealthy tourist. Dress down and pay attention to your surroundings....you will be just fine. Enjoy!
"Patrick that's exactly what everyone is recommending: keep a day's spending money in your wallet, everything else in hotel room safe, or money belt."
I know that, Michael, but Frank had said, "never, never, never -- carry a billfold in the front pocket," a very definitive statement I consider a bit of an overreaction.
I responded with when I think it IS okay, and the best thing to do, to carry money in the front pocket, that being when you are only keeping a day's worth of money on you.
Patrick,
the OP asked for the "safest thing to do" and Frank gave a good answer. You felt comfortable with your wallet in your front pocket and that's fine for you. After 5 trips to Italy in the past four years I've seen some pickpockets in action and have had travelling companions pickpocketed. I've never been the victim of a pickpocket because I never have anything of value in my pockets. I DID find a man's hand in my pocket at the Wednesday morning market in Piazza Gramsci in Siena in May. It was actually pretty funny as our eyes met and I looked down at his hand and he said "Scuzzi" as though he'd thought it was his pocket. NOT funny was later when I heard a woman screaming that someone had taken her husband's wallet from his pocket.Bob my personal recommendations that seem to be working for my husband and me.TRAVEL LIGHT particularly if you will be using trains and buses for most of your trip. While you're fiddling with heavy luggage someone may be watching for the perfect moment to liberate your camera, laptop, ipod purse or wallet. As an added bonus it's a real pain to schlep heavy luggage up and down stairs, on and off trains etc.Travel wallet/money belts are a must and should always be used. One of our students lost all her money and cards when her backpack was snatched with her moneybelt inside. MIRACULOUSLY her passport was still at the hotel desk.ALWAYS be aware of your surroundings.Be careful when sitting down at at a cafe or restuarant, particularly outside. Don't just sling your purse, day pack or camera bag over the arm of the chair or leave it at your feet.Don't keep anything of value in your outside pockets. My uncle who lives in Rome is fond of getting cheepo plastic wallets and then filling them with junk mail and putting them in his pockets(usually along with a note in Italian suggesting that the thief find some gainful employment) when he rides the Metro.
ContinuedIf travelling with your spouse each of you should have a different credit card and a different debit card just in case.Do have copies of ALL of your travel documents account numbers and the numbers for reporting a lost or stolen card especially your passports.Plan ahead so you can put your security on autopilot and enjoy yourselves.
You may wish to review the State Department’s information sheet on Italy: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1146.html
In addition to all of the great recommendations already provided here, you’ll find a lot of updated detail on crime and personal security in Italy.
I just returned from Italy and like you, was very worried about this before I left. I saw no pick pocketers, no gypsies. We were in Florence, Rome, Pienza and Sorrento. I had brought with me a special SafePac purse which I wore around my neck and now wish I would have just brought my normal purse. I would however, make sure a purse has a zipper. You just need to be aware of your surroundings. I felt no more unsafe than I would in NYC. I even left my purse in a taxi in Rome on our last day and the taxi driver found us to return it!
Bob,
We just got back from 2 weeks in Italy and my husband was pickpocketed in Rome. We were able to get everything cancelled so only lost the American cash he was carrying. I have a couple of suggestions: Be sure you have the account #'s and phone #'s of your banks/creditors kept separately in your hotel room, so that if you are a victim, you have all the info you need to get your cards cancelled. Avoid exceedingly crowded busses, that's where it happened to him. Use the busses and expected to be in close quarters, but avoid the jam packed ones if possible. I carried my cards and larger amounts of cash in a money belt and only a few euro 50 or less in my pocket. Traveller's Cheques can be a real hassle. You're better off checking with your bank before you leave the home to be sure you have an ATM that will work. Then withdraw cash as necessary. ATM's are everywhere.
Don't let the fear of theives ruin your excitement and/or trip. Just be smart, Rick's books offer great tips and enjoy yourself.
As I said, apart from the loss of some cash and a couple of crazy hours needing to get calls made, we had a GREAT trip. Can't wait to go again.
Have a Blast!!
Jodie
The metro and the main #1 bus in Rome are full of pickpocketers. During the busiest times, when a metro or bus comes, you will feel someone pushing you hard from behind you, ostensibly trying to get on the transportation before it leaves. This is a pickpocketer. If your wallet is available, it will be gone. If you carry a purse, it will be opened and empty of any valuables when you have a chance to notice.
How to thwart them? Try not to use these means of transportation when they are packed. Take another train and stand away from people so you can observe them. Any time you get bumped for no reason, you are likely a victim. Make it hard for them so they will look for someone else. Be wary of distractions of any kind.
My wife simply does not carry a purse at any time. We have a daypack instead, with locks and kept on my back when we are out and about. I carry what I call my travel wallet. It is smaller, carries the day's cash and a credit card and maybe some other item I may need, like metro tickets and such. And that is it. I lock any other thing in my suitcase back in the room.
I also keep this wallet in my shirt pocket. I NEVER go out in a shirt that does not have a pocket in front that is either buttoned or zippered. I pick my travel shirts for this purpose, as well as comfort and ease of cleaning. I do NOT at any time wear a t-shirt by itself, for example. It makes you look like a tourist and pickpockets can figure out where your money is easier. I try to look local. If I can easily pick out the other American tourists, guess what.......?
Also, the street in front of the Forum has been the scene of two thefts that I have witnessed, both times by swarming gypsy girls of between 8 and 12 years of age. They separate you from the rest, isolate the attack and essentially swipe everything that they get their hands on, then disperse in twenty different directions.
The other Northern Italian cities have less intense pickpockets, but then I guess I never noticed them much anywhere else. In Rome they are common. In Naples, they might number one out of every five people you see. There are lots and lots of what you can only describe as apparently unemployed young men loitering in and around the train station, for instance.
The comment about shortchanging can happen anywhere, but in Naples, you WILL encounter it - at restaurants, bars, shops, and train ticket counters. It just seems to be what they do there. It has become so common when we go south, in fact, that I figure at some point I will be caught napping and lose some cash in a transaction and have just come to live with it.
My 6'4", 200# all muscle husband thought there was no way anyone would ever pick pocket him. He thought he was too manly for someone even to think of stealing from him. Strangely enough HE was the one who got hit as they nudged him & then took the credit card & 45E from his tight front jeans pocket. He didn't even know they did it until hours later. Now he doesn't leave the hotel room w/out the money belt. Another trick we do is to act like honeymooners & are always in physical contact w/each other. People don't get too close...
"Patrick, the OP asked for the "safest thing to do..."
Thanks Maggie for reminding us to only respond to the original poster's exact question. That will keep the forum really interesting and informative!
OK, I take back all I said above. The safest thing to do to protect one's self/money is to stay home. Any other answer is probably off-topic ;-)
My 2 cents:
How widespread? In any area crowded with tourists, there will be scam artists and pickpockets, period. The more crowded with tourists, the more pickpockets there will be. If the area you're in doesn't have many tourists, it's not likely to attract pickpockets.
How to deal with it? Travelers Checks - No, too much of a hassle. Use an ATM like you would in any city, think security when you are getting cash then put it away as quickly as possible (usually means finding a toilet to get into your moneybelt). Carry back up debit and credit cards and know the non-800 numbers to call if one is lost or stolen.
Safest thing to do?
Make yourself the least attractive target. Don't show outward expressions of wealth (e.g. expensive jewelry or designer clothing/accessories), although it's unlikely someone will steel a ring off your finger, they are more likely to get into a daypack of someone wearing showy jewelry or accessories.
Don't carry anything you couldn't stand to lose in a place where it could be easily stolen (pocket, purse, daypack, etc.). Put the valuable or hard to replace stuff out of reach in a moneybelt/neckpouch/hotel safe and keep only petty cash in your pocket.
Don't treat your moneybelt/neckpouch like an extra pocket. When you need something out of it, go into a private place (e.g. toilet) and carefully retrieve what you need. Take some extra time to ensure you haven't accidentally dropped something while getting into your moneybelt before you leave the area.
Sounds like Patrick needs a shot of grappa LOL. I was simply pointing out why Frank had posted the "never, never, never" comment that it seemed you'd taken exception with. He was merely stating the obvious--- which often seems to get overlooked-- which is the best way to deal with a pickpocket is empty pockets.
Thank you all for the feedback and suggestion! I really appreciate the time each of you took to post.
Bob
Definitely be on the lookout for groups of scruffy looking kids. On the off-chance that they cops grab the kids stealing, the cops have to release them if they can't ID them. So they're back on the streets in a couple of hours.
I noticed something last time in Italy and its a complicated concept, so please bare with me.
What I noticed was that some Locals in Rome were just as oblivious to pick pockets as we are in the States. THEY get picked just as much as the tourist does because a "pigeon is a pigeon" and the Pick really has no ideal where you are from, or if you are local. The locals do seem to deal with it, if discovered quickly, right then and there, and the Picks give it back if challenged. The Locals know who they are looking out for and who is most likely a Pick. These are young women, just before the legal age, and badly dressed, dirty faced children. The dirty faced kids will use a technique called mobbing. So you count how many Dirty Faced Kids there are around you. If there are more than two, don't let one approach you.
So look out for 12 year old innocent looking girls. They are the Picks.
Its Okay to just move away from them on a train or some other place when you spot them. Make it harder and see if they follow. There is a prejudice involved in this.
I think its no better or worse in Italy as it is in many areas in the US. There is the same level of thievery at Pike Market in Seattle, or Times Square in New York.
We talk of Italy as if its unique and especially disposed to pickpockets: It isn't unique. Your counter measures should apply all the time, even on your home turf.
I spent several weeks in Sicily, and nobody in the group lost to pickpockets. There were only a couple of areas where our local colleague warned against potential trouble- and we were careful. The area where we stayed was fine- we were in a small town that was nice (although very poor).
However, we did experience cashiers trying to shortchange while on the road- one at a gas station tried to give me change for 10 euro when I'd handed him a 20 euro bill- and he only gave me the rest of the change when I started getting loud and angry. He knew what he was doing- and so did I. I warned the others against him- and I swear I heard his teeth grinding.
I carried a coin purse with change in it (a few Euro at most) and everything else was in my neck pouch. I only carried what I needed- rarely more than just over 50 euro, and driver's license, etc. in the pouch. If I was going to need more (such as for a meal), I'd find a private place and transfer a bill just big enough to the coin purse.
BTW- most places wouldn't take traveler's checks, some had signs saying so.
Anyway, be alert and you should be fine.
