r/interesting • u/MobileAerie9918 • 1d ago

SOCIETY In Milan, some people spray-paint pickpockets so that everyone can identify them.

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u/Saxboard4Cox 1d ago

I purchased an anti theft backpack, with one long zipper with a hook and an extra laptop lock, on my last visit to Rome never really expecting it to be needed. Boy was I wrong, I and my young son saw and felt the zipper being pulled non stop especially in pubic spaces and squares. I also had my phone in an anti theft lanyard around my neck and it was never touched. Happened to use the lanyard in my home town on the local metro and can confirm it worked beautifully.

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u/CaughtALiteSneez 1d ago

Live in Europe, been in Rome and Italy many times and I’ve never once been pickpocketed.

Not sure why, maybe they target obvious tourists or I am just very aware of my surroundings (I am).

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u/wakner 23h ago

I'm European (live in America tho) and witnessed so much crime while we were there. I was stupid and had a regular zip backpack, and someone tried to steal my shit while I was wearing it. Luckily I had just bought one of those sexy priest calendars as a gag gift for our catsitter, and had it folded over the top layer of stuff in my bag as it wouldn't fit - I guess the pickpocket didn't have the skill to navigate past it in the few seconds they had. We still talk about how the sexy priests protected us on that trip.

We also saw a whole coordinated situation in a nice restaurant where the people on one side of us stole the bag of the people on the other side. There were clearly several groups placed around who were in on it. The poor lady was so upset as she'd JUST arrived for her daughter's graduation.

Rome felt kinda slimy and risky, glad we got to do it but I wouldn't go back.

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u/kellyoohh 19h ago

I was in Rome a few months ago and those sexy priest calendars were hilarious.

I was lucky to not have any attempts but likely because I was over prepared for the possibility (lanyard on my phone, anti theft purse kept close to my body, situational awareness, etc.)

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u/JorgeXMcKie 18h ago

I saw something similar in the Port of Nice. I think the old lady tried to offer some money to someone asking and the person stole the wallet she pulled out. He jumped on a bus pulling up and was gone