Crime in Rome
 In the case of Rome, it is important to remember that it is the capital of a massive country and a major focus for the entire surrounding region of Southern, the Baltic states, Eastern Europe and Northern Africa. The almost 3 million inhabitants of Rome include people drawn from all over the world and a criminal underclass has thrived in the city for thousands of years.Roman pickpockets are particularly skilled and, as a foreigner, you will be an obvious target. Simply presume that you will be robbed and do not carry large amounts of cash - there are plenty of ATMs in Rome - and leave at least one ATM card in your hotel safe or somewhere else that you believe to be safe. Do not presume that your hotel room is a safe place to keep things and do not presume that the code for your in-room hotel safe is not already known to hundreds of previous guests and the entire staff of the hotel. Hotels in Italy are notoriously prone to theft and it is often better to ask the manager to keep your passport and valuables in the main safe, at least the number of people with access to that is more limited. Never, ever leave a laptop in a shared luggage room - if it disappears, the hotel will accept absolutely no responsibility for it, that is standard practise. Scams and con-tricks are common in Rome and, again, foolish tourists with too much money are an obvious target. Don't get involved in a lengthy conversation initiated by someone else, politely but firmly move on. No-one believes they would fall for a scam ... until they do. Never underestimate the skill and ingenuity of professional hustlers. If you carry a handbag or camera bag, take note of the way in which locals carry them to their front and close to their body at all times. It is easy to forget to be careful but Rome's thieves will not miss an opportunity and will be quite happy to tail a potential victim for hours, waiting for the right moment to strike. Be prepared for regular attempts to shortchange you and never be embarrassed to double-check the change and individual bank notes you have been given. The attitude in shops is generally unhelpful and low-level short-changing is culturally accepted, so, there is little point in kicking up a fuss or expecting a real apology when you have been shortchanged. If it is for more than a Euro, the best tactic is to politely point out that they have made a mistake and smilingly refuse to move on until they correct the mistake. Do not worry if there is a queue of Italians waiting behind you, simply hold out the change you have been given, everyone will understand exactly what has happened, such "mistakes" are common and, if they have any complaint at all, they will direct it at the cashier.
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Rome Crime | Crime in Rome | Tourist Crime Italy
