The place Pickpockets Are Most and Least Prevalent in Europe

Nothing can smash a trip like being the sufferer of a pickpocketing rip-off. All through Europe particularly, a brand new research exhibits that there are some locations the place theft is extra prevalent than others.

Vacationers to Italy ought to be on their guard because the nation ranked the best for pickpockets amongst all fashionable European hotspots, in response to a current research by UK insurance coverage value comparability platform Quotezone.co.uk. To find out the rating, the research checked out pickpocketing mentions in customer evaluations at fashionable points of interest just like the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, and Pantheon in Rome, the Duomo di Milano in Milan, and the Gallerie Degli Uffizi in Florence.

Total, Italy had 478 pickpocketing mentions for each million British guests, the best of nations studied in Europe, in response to the report.

“Theft can occur anyplace and vacationer hotspots are handy locations for criminals to focus on holidaymakers’ wallets and purses while they’re busy taking within the websites,” Greg Wilson, the founder and CEO of Quotezone.co.uk, mentioned in a press release. “It’s important all the time to stay vigilant, depart valuables, like costly [jewelry], in a secure within the lodge and all the time journey with a safe cross-body bag with zips to safe telephones and wallets or perhaps a cash belt.”

Vacationers heading to France also needs to pay attention to their environment because the nation ranked second on the listing with 251 mentions of being pickpocketed for each million British guests. That’s very true for the realm round Paris’ most iconic construction, the Eiffel Tower, which the research discovered was the worst for pickpockets within the nation.

That was adopted by Spain — and notably Barcelona’s Las Ramblas — and Germany, which every noticed 111 mentions of being pickpocketed for each million British guests. 

On the opposite finish of the spectrum was Eire, which had solely seven mentions of pickpocketing for each million British guests, in response to the research. The place you wish to be careful to your bag is the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, a infamous vacationer lure however a worthwhile one nonetheless.

If you happen to do get pickpocketed, Wilson inspired vacationers to file a police report back to be lined for any potential insurance coverage claims.

It’s additionally a good suggestion to make copies of necessary paperwork and ensure all of your gadgets are password-protected.

And keep in mind: you’re not alone. Even probably the most seasoned vacationers can fall sufferer to pickpockets, identical to Rick Steves did when he wasn’t carrying his cash belt on the Paris Metro a couple of years in the past.