Pickpocketing in Sicily

Take the usual precautions
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/keeping-safe-in-sicily

In more than 20 trips to Europe, the only time we had trouble was on the bus from Palermo to Monreale. Lesson learned was to find a seat first and wait until the bus doors have closed before going to validate your ticket. The guy targeted my husband while he was in the crush by the validation machine, then jumped off the bus. Fortunately, he got very little.

Do you have some reason to think pickpockets are any more frequent in Sicily than any other highly touristed area anywhere? As recommended, take the usual precautions and maintain situational awareness.

Florence is the most dangerous place in Italy for pickpockets, Rome and Milan come next. They are all medalists on the podium of the Pickpockets' Olympiad.
Palermo is way down the list. Doesn't even make the top 30.
Use normal precautions. Pickpockets generally target victims on crowded spots, especially crowded buses/subways. Be alert in those occasions.

TraveINut, if you are worried, solo female with no one watching your back, you can do what I do. It's overkill but it's my comfort level:
1) Be aware of your surroundings and scams. A pickpocket in Paris tried the petition scam on me and I told her to take a hike as I moved away,
2) Keep your purse and backpack zipped and locked. This small carabiner works good. More expensive is not better since you just want the pickpocket to move on. Take extra hooks because you'll loose a few. You may have to sew rings onto and into your purse for the hooks.
3) Wear your purse in front of your hip. On public transportation wear your backpack on your front.
4) Attach a lanyard to your phone and a hook for it in your purse. Your phone is either hooked inside your purse or around your neck.
5) Wear a money belt or neck wallet beneath your clothes for deep storage of passport and extra money/credit cards. I wear a Stashbandz because it distributes bulk around four pockets, is stretchy and comfortable.
6) Do not set anything on a table or back of a chair that isn't attached to you.

Buon Viaggio!

Be aware of your surroundings...Keep your purse and backpack zipped and locked...Wear your purse in front of you...wear your backpack on your front...Attach a lanyard to your phone and a hook for it in your purse...Wear a money belt or neck wallet beneath your clothes for deep storage of passport and extra money/credit cards...Do not set anything on a table or back of a chair that isn't attached to you.

Just reiterating what Horsewoofie said as she is spot on!!

I also travel mostly solo and also do what Horsewoofie does.
I never start walking after buying something until everything is zipped and clipped back up safely.
I bring another credit and a debit card with me from a different bank than our regular one.
One set of cards is in always in my money belt and never comes out in public.
The other set has very low limits and is used every day on my trip.
The carabiners on your crossbody bag are wonderful.
Not easy to undo…I even have trouble!
I was in Palermo on my own for a few days before a friend joined me, and never felt unsafe.
I used the local buses .
The people there are delightful and helpful.

Our recipe against pickpocketry which has worked for decades:

• main credit-card and small amount of cash in little tri-fold velcro nylon wallet with thick rubber band wrapped around outside, 1,5ft feather-weight (2-3mm wide) brass chain (from hardware store), sewn to inside and other end safety-pinned to bottom of zippered front pocket of travel trousers. Nothing is infallible but so far so good.
• passport, driving licence, rest of cash and backup credit-card, cello packet with daily meds, in moneybelt.
• Mobile phone in opposite zippered front pocket, never place phone on table, never walk about looking at it. If we need to look something up or make a call we duck into a doorway and face out.
  
• Camera bag (small) ballistic nylon with zipper closure AND flap with large velcro, cross-body strap AND waist-belt.
  
• Lady's handbag (small) with cross-body strap, contains only makeup/personal items.
  

We've been to Palermo several times and have never had or seen a problem. I hope all the answers above help you--they are all right! Take the normal precautions and just enjoy your trip! Palermo is wonderful.

Fearmongering and sensational articles and videos always perform much better than more even-handed ones.

People don't stand around the water cooler talking about how they heard about a friend of a friend going to Palermo and not getting pickpocketed.

So take normal precautions anytime you're in a place where a lot of people congregate; especially tourists.

Pickpocketing has always been around before Covid, but just take the precautions others have mentioned. Any place crowded - museums, buses, main sites, etc. can be target spots. And I avoid those street performers who gather a tight circle of people for a performance. Sometimes there’s people working that crowd.

I enjoyed five days in Palermo with no issues, and it’s a wonderful city to visit!

As a solo traveler, I follow this advice. For any conversation, who started it? If I didn’t start the conversation, I have the choice to respond or walk away. Per the example above with anyone with a clipboard petition, “free” bracelet or rosemary sprig, I don’t respond and walk away quickly.

The carabiners on your crossbody bag are wonderful.

I tried to put these carabinieri in my crossbody bag, but they refused.