What to do with the camera?

Put a small lock on the zipper of whatever you use for a day bag.

use a neck pouch. Rome is really the pickpocket city you need to be most vigilant about. It sounds like you are careful anyway and limit your metro rides in Rome.
Stay away from groups of kids and gyspy-like people.
Surface bus is so much better there anyway and safer.

Don't forget about the possiblility of just losing it, like I did. Don't lay it on a table, or dangle it in the open unnecessarily. As often as possible upload pics to the web, so if you lose it you do not lose ALL pics.

Our family is leaving for Italy in 6 days and I'm also concerned about this issue even though we have made 5 previous trips in other areas of Europe. It seems that Italy might have more pickpocket activity than Paris or London. We would always have our cameras in a basic (not fancy) backpack. I think we'll take locks with us this time. I also just recently bought some new money belts made by Pacsafe. They have a wire embedded into the straps/belt so that they can't be cut. They have many other accessories including a shoulder strap to put on your luggage and shoulder type bags that can't be slashed into because of a wire mesh that is inside the material. Their website is www.pacsafe.com. It'll tell you what sports store carry their products in your area. Check it out. Has anyone else out there used these products? I've read so much about the trains on the way to Pompeii and the dangers there. Should we take a shuttle or taxi instead? Help!

I always slip my digital camera in my front pocket. No one is going to stick their hand in your front pocket. If you are in a crowded place, just slip your hand in your pocket where your camera is. No one is going to slip their hand in a pocket with a hand already in it!!!!! Personally, I think that is the safest place!!

Denise, I rode that train (Circumvesuviana) several times staying in Sorrento last summer, including a trip from Naples to Sorrento and back. Just be aware and you'll be fine. It isn't as if you will be running a gauntlet of people pawing at you! Thieves are like anyone else; they are looking for the easy targets. If you're reasonably aware and don't keep things in easily accessible pockets, they'll try th person who is.

Maybe that post from the guy who had the impenetrable camera stolen is accurate, or maybe he left it sitting somewhere and "remembers" tucking it away. The tourists I talked to who lost cameras did so in ways like falling asleep on the Spanish Steps in Rome, camera beside her. I can't guarantee you won't have any problems in Rome, but excessive worry will make your trip much less enjoyable that any loss would be! Many places will back your photos onto a CD; do this every few days and you won't lose all your pics, worst comes to worst.

Good advice from all of you - thank you! I've gotten a number of private messages on this subject too, and most of them tell me not to worry too much. That's good - there's a lot of negative chatter out there about this subject. As we'll be picking up some small lunch/beverage items at an alimentatri once we get there, I'm considering saving the bag and using it for maps, site brochures and maybe dropping the little camera in there as well (and keeping the bag close). If it looks like we're carrying no more than lunch, maybe the light-fingered won't be interested in it! :)