How to Avoid Pickpockets in Rome

Overall, Rome is a very safe city, with little in the way of violent crime, but there are still pickpockets who are ready to prey upon unsuspecting tourists. Here are some tips on how to avoid pickpockets in Rome.

Make Yourself Less of a Target

The most important steps to take to avoid pickpockets in Rome are to make yourself less of a target, and to safeguard your valuables if a thief picks you out. Try not to make it painfully obvious that you're a tourist. Pickpockets in Rome will take the easy way out, and look for the most clueless looking tourists. Make an effort to present yourself as a knowledgeable traveler, or, even better, as a local.

Walk with a purpose, and act like you know where you're going. If you don't, step inside a shop if you want to look at your map, rather than convey to everyone around you that you're wandering the busy streets of Rome without any idea where you are. Be especially vigilant at high profile tourist spots, like the Coliseum and Piazza Navona. These are the perfect places for pickpockets to strike, so be aware of your surroundings.

Just remember: if you look like an average person, and the guy next to you in denim shorts and an American flag t-shirt is filming his trip on his video recorder, you're going to be the least of any pickpocket's interests.

Stash Your Valuables

In addition to blending in, it is wise to stash your belongings as safely as possible. Leave your fanny pack and wallet at home, and instead opt for a travel pouch that you can wear under your clothing. The ideal choices are ones that can hang around your neck under your shirt, or around your waist and under your pants. These are excellent places to hide your valuables, and waist-worn packs can be fairly easily accessed by you, without making them easy targets for the pickpockets in Rome.

Thieves look for people with wallets in their back pockets, or with easily unzipped backpacks or purses. Be sure to keep one hand on your bag's strap at all times. In crowded locations, those with purses should shift them around in front rather than behind, in order to discourage prying hands.

Keep Your Eyes Peeled

If you think you're being targeted by a pickpocket in Rome, there are steps to take that will help deter them from continuing their stealthy pursuit. Sometimes pickpockets are genuinely sneaky, and there isn't much you can do. Other times, someone may be walking just a little too close for comfort, or you catch several people following you.

In these situations, it is often best to act unpredictably. Wait at a crosswalk through a few red lights, or sit down in an uncrowded area, without giving any indication that you plan to leave soon. If you're hungry, you might as well stop in for a meal. Pickpockets in Rome aren't going to wait around for you, and they're better served moving onto another target.

Overall, pickpockets in Rome will not be of concern if you take time to properly hide your possessions on your person, and if you don't act too out of place. Rather than worry about pickpockets, just take comfort in knowing that you don't stick out more than anyone else, and enjoy your trip.