I don’t carry much money with me, my visa card is on me..not in my bag, my metro ticket is not in my bag either..each day before we went out and about in Paris, the metro ticket was put in our pocket..so safe, instead of fiddling about with your bag and purse..!
 
Great idea abotu keeping your Metro ticket out. I love that you pointed that out.
 
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My tips are general: do not carry one single thing you do not desperately need (I carried a laptop or notebook through years of international work, would never carry it now)
and specific: when someone id crowding you, bothering you, making you suspicious, get LOUD. Learn and practice phrases like “Via! Va Via!” “Aiuto!” (I realized quickly that my instinct was to say help and no one would understand) Get over your fear of making an embarrassing scene. It isn’t you, it’s them! These people consider this their career (and are frequently not Italian) and your only defense is to make them conspicuous.
A couple of Gypsy kids came at me on my way into a supermarket and tried to lift my watch. On my way out of the store they tried again! I yelled at them and they were all confused at my anger, “perche’, perche’?” They don’t even see you as a human, just a mark.
 
Wow. Seriously that asked you “why” you were mad? I just don’t get it!
 
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Maybe something’s up with the French metro system (as Kim B tells), but I also read a story recently of a pickpocketing in Paris: the woman was moving through the turnstile, and as soon as it clicked and she was through, the person behind her grabbed her wallet (or maybe purse) and ran. She was stuck behind the turnstile and couldn’t chase him, even though she saw the whole thing. I made a mental “travel note” about that one – never heard that before.
 
Oh that is bad. Thanks for mentioning it!
 
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Leave the backpacks at home. I’m stunned by how many tourists walk around with these things. You have no idea what someone is doing behind you.

Ignore the women who walk up to you begging with a baby. I know it seems cruel but it’s a scam. I noticed it in Florence. A woman was talking to me trying to distract me and I could see her co-thief standing guard.
 
I saw that in Florence, too but she didn’t think anyone was watching and tucked the plastic baby under her arm while she drank some water! You are right-it is better to ignore them.
 
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In a kind of lucky way, I was far enough from my mom in the metro car that I saw what the guy was doing. I gave him an arch look, and he responded by twiddling his fingers off her bag with a “Who, me???” look on his face. At the moment I was content that I’d kept him from robbing my mom, but on later reflection, I was disappointed that I didn’t yell THIEF and confront him so that everyone in the car would have known to be aware (of course he got off at the next stop).

The other guy, who tried (and very nearly succeeded) to get my Dad’s wallet out of his back pocket, was dressed in a track suit or some such, but not gypsy-like, looked like a French guy coming back from a workout or something.

I think of ourselves as vigilant, but that taught us a lesson. It’s so important to remember as it can make the difference between a wonderful vacation and a bitter memory of a frustrating experience.
 
Wow. I was always lucky in Paris. That is horrible.
 
Kim B.’s last blog post..Okay, I admit it. I’m a tea snob.

When I got off the bus the guy who had been sitting across from us came up to me and told me what had happened…I hadn’t even realized…
 
Wow. That is crazy. Why didn’t the guy speak up sooner? Jeez!
 
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About the train though, same thing happened to my mom and her group of friends. A group got on the train and when it went through a tunnel they jostled around bumping into them. When they got off my mom’s friend realized they had slit her purse in two with a knife and taken her wallet! Yipes. I should note, my Mom said they were AMERICAN 20 somethings… not a band of gypsies.
 
“They don’t animal crackers and diapers!” lol That is priceless. That is strange about your mom’s experience. I’ve never heard of a group of Americans pulling those moves in Italy. With our B&B guests, they were gypsies-she just didn’t “get it” at the time.
 
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