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CRIME

How bad is pickpocketing in Italy’s major cities?

Italy has recently announced the creation of a special police unit to combat metro pickpockets in Rome, Naples and Milan. But how bad is petty theft in Italy's big cities and what can you do to avoid being pickpocketed?

Published: 7 August 2024 14:00 CEST
People look at a departure board at Rome's Termini railway station
People look at a departure board at Rome's Termini railway station. Photo by Andreas SOLARO / AFP

Italy’s interior ministry on Tuesday announced the creation of a new police unit aimed at tackling rising pickpocketing crimes on metro services and platforms in the cities of Rome, Naples and Milan.

The announcement came following a summit on urban security measures attended by Italy’s interior minister Matteo Piantedosi along with the mayors and police commissioners of each of the three cities.

Though the start date of the new police force hasn’t been confirmed yet, the special unit, named ‘Polmetro’, will be tasked with patrolling underground platforms and trains to thwart or stop pickpocketing, as well as other potential offences.

Pickpocketing has featured heavily in national media reports in recent weeks after videos from Rome-based YouTuber Simone Cicalone showed him confronting pickpockets and chasing them out of Rome’s metro stations. 

The videos quickly garnered online support from local commuters, with one YouTube user writing: “Proof of great courage and humility, well done Simone.”

How bad is pickpocketing?

A recent report from national statistics institute ISTAT showed that nearly 14 out of every 1,000 people in the region of Lazio, of which Rome is the capital, reported falling victim to pickpockets in 2023.  

For context, the national average stood at just over 5 in 1,000 people. 

The pickpocketing rate stood at 7 out of every 1,000 people in Lombardy, where Milan is located, and at 3 out of every 1,000 in Campania, where Naples is.

Reports of theft experienced by visitors to any of the three major cities can also be regularly found on social media.

Last month, Indian journalist Anant Goenka said on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) that his mother had her handbag stolen by three people inside a Milan airport.

He said: “A gang of 3 targeted us, distracted and stole mom’s handbag, with money and passport in it.” 

“Police at airport said it was the 4th such incident in 6 hours and police inspector told me: ‘there are only 3 of us, so nothing much we can do’,” he added.

Where in Rome, Naples and Milan do pickpockets tend to operate?

In all three cities, metro stations and the areas around major train stations such as Napoli Centrale, Milano Centrale and Roma Termini, are considered to be hotspots. 

READ ALSO: The Italian cities with the highest crime rates

Other places include: the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Trevi Fountain in Rome; Piazza Municipio in Naples; Piazza del Duomo in Milan. 

What can you do to avoid being pickpocketed?

Whilst it is sometimes impossible to stop someone from committing a crime, there are some essential steps you can take to decrease the chances of being pickpocketed.

1) Avoid wearing any expensive-looking accessories.

2) Always carry your bag in front of you. If possible, place an arm over the bag to protect the opening.

3) Avoid keeping your wallet, phone and any other valuables in your back pockets.

4) Stay vigilant in crowds and steer clear of commotions. Pay particular attention to people around you when getting on or off transport.

5) Remember that pickpockets usually work in pairs and beware of any incident that may appear to be a distraction tactic.

What should you do if you have been pickpocketed?

If you have been pickpocketed on public transport, immediately inform the staff on board or at the nearest station.

If you have been pickpocketed outdoors, inform police officers in the area if present or call toll-free number 112 to report the crime. Alternatively, you can also head to the nearest police station (Questura).

READ ALSO: Guardia di Finanza to Carabinieri – who does what in the Italian police force?

If your wallet has been taken, block your cards as soon as possible.

Have you been a victim of pickpockets in Italy? Share your experience in the comments section below.

Member comments

  1. I always wear a fanny pack that has lightweight stealing for straps and many other protection devices by TRAVEL on. I also put my hand on the front of it while I’m maneuvering a suitcase with my other hand. I’ve heard stories that Florence is now being pinpointed

  2. My wife and I have been living in Sicily for five years. Both of us are over 70 years old and have medical issues that require frequent visits to doctors. While some of our doctors speak English, most do not. We do not speak Italian well enough to deal with medical issues. Fortunately we have a wonderful Italian man who helps take care of our garden and acts as our general handyman. He speaks English very well and accompanies us on our doctor visits to doctors who do not speak Italian. Of course we pay him for his time. We would never risk our health by going to a doctor that we could not communicate with clearly.

  3. Visited Rome 7 times & Naples 3 times, (8 & 4 in 2025) & haven’t been pickpocketed. My handbag with zip is crossed over the front. We use paper maps instead of mobile phones, which means we aren’t constantly diving in out of pockets or handbags, indicating to thieves we have phones & where they’re kept. I wear a golf bangle, wedding ring, watch & sleeper earrings. We also use a leather pouch with loop that goes around a belt, then drops down inside pants, for keeping valuables in.

  4. Had the strangest event happen in Venice. My wife and I saw a group of 4 young men, and I told her to secure her purse. As we walked past them, I soon heard one of them call out “signor, signor, is this yours”? I turned and he handed me my wallet. He said in accented English “I saw it on the ground”. Nothing was missing. How he could have gotten my wallet and why he gave it back to me? I’ll never know. Still baffled.

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CRIME

REVEALED: Where in Italy you’re most likely to be a victim of crime

From theft and home burglary to cyber fraud and extortion, the latest figures reveal where in Italy you are most likely to fall victim to crime and the most common types of offences in major cities around the country.

Published: 17 September 2024 11:15 CEST
REVEALED: Where in Italy you're most likely to be a victim of crime

While Italy is among the safest countries in the world – it ranked 33rd out of 163 in the latest Global Peace Index report, right above the UK – crime is still a concern, especially in metropolitan cities and tourist hotspots.

According to the annual crime report from newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore, which collated the most recent data from Italy’s Department of Public Security, Milan was the Italian city with the highest crime rate in 2023.

Overall, some 230,394 crimes were reported in the northern metropolis last year, which corresponded to 7,094 offences for every 100,000 residents.

Milan was followed by Italy’s capital, Rome, with 6,071 reported crimes for every 100,000 residents (up by nearly 600 compared to 2022) and Florence, with 6,053.

The top ten was completed by Rimini (6,002 reports for every 100,000 residents), Turin (5,685), Bologna (5,539), Prato (4,887), Imperia (4,838), Venice (4,825) and Livorno (4,743).

At the other end of the spectrum, Oristano, Sardinia, was the Italian city with the lowest crime rate in 2023 as it ‘only’ saw 1,511 offences for every 100,000 residents. 

Oristano was followed by Potenza, Basilicata (1,934) and Treviso, Veneto (2,258).

Single-offence rankings

While the overall crime rate ranking provides a picture of Italy’s major crime hotspots, it doesn’t allow for any insight into the types of offences committed locally, which is why it is worth looking into single-offence rankings. 

Milan, Rome and Rimini (a popular seaside resort on Emilia Romagna’s Adriatic coast) were the Italian cities with the highest theft rates in 2023, with the northern city registering nearly 3,900 reported thefts (furti) for every 100,000 residents and the capital stopping just shy of the 3,500 mark.

Milan was also Italy’s least-safe city when it came to petty theft and pickpocketing, with over 900 such offences reported for every 100,000 residents.

READ ALSO: How bad is pickpocketing in Italy’s major cities?

Florence was the Italian city with the highest robbery rate (rapine), with 136 offences for every 100,000 residents. 

The Tuscan city was followed by Milan (128) and Prato (124).

Outside of big cities and popular tourist destinations, a number of smaller and, perhaps, slightly unassuming Italian cities had their own crime ‘specialisations’ in 2023. 

For instance, Ragusa, Sicily, ranked first in vehicle theft, while Pisa, Tuscany, came in first in reported home burglary offences.

Trieste, Friuli Venezia Giulia, had the highest sexual assault rate (24 reports for every 100,000 residents) in the country, whereas Crotone ranked first for attempted murder.

READ ALSO: The 8 red flags to look out for to avoid rental scams in Italy

Turin came in first for cyber fraud and online scams, while Isernia, Molise, was Italy’s extortion capital. 

National picture

At a national level, reported crimes were up by 3.8 percent compared to 2022, with online fraud and robbery registering 10.3- and 9.5-percent increases respectively. 

Assault offences also registered a 3.1-percent year-on-year increase, while there were 341 murders in 2023 – up by 13 against 2019. 

According to Marco Dugato, a researcher at the Crime Observatory of Milan’s Cattolica University, the latest increases “must be monitored, particularly for certain types of crime”.

In particular, “the rise of more impulsive, less planned, but more aggressive forms of criminal activity” such as assault and robbery “is of concern”. 

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