Places crowded with tourists have long become magnets for pickpockets. Thousands of unsuspecting travelers are robbed every year, but tips on where to hide your wallet to keep it out of the wrong hands have become folklore. Although the risk of being robbed is always there, there are some countries where it is much higher than elsewhere, Euronews writes.
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Travel insurance experts on the website “Quotezone” have published a study comparing several European countries according to the risk of being robbed there. Traveler reviews and social media posts were used to conduct the research.
As a result, it was calculated that the highest probability of becoming a victim of pickpockets is in Italy. In 2022, travelers have complained 1,906 times about being robbed at the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon in Rome, Milan Cathedral and the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.
This means that out of a million visitors, about 463 people report pickpockets – this is the highest proportion calculated by “Quotezone” in Europe.
The second place in terms of the number of mentioned thefts was occupied by France. Here, out of a million travelers, about 283 people complained about pickpockets. It probably won’t come as a surprise that most complaints about pickpockets in Paris come from tourists. But the first three were completed by the Netherlands, whose capital has one of the worst reputations in Europe.
Spain came as a surprise, finishing only sixth, despite Barcelona’s notoriety. Many tourists even make a detour to Barcelona, only to return home with a wallet and phone.
On the other hand, the safest countries turned out to be Ireland and Poland. In Ireland, out of a million tourists, only 30 people complained about theft, and in Poland 18.
How to protect yourself from pickpockets?
“Theft can happen anywhere, but the most popular attractions are a particularly convenient place for thieves to target tourists’ wallets while viewing the great cultural heritage,” says Greg Wilson, founder and CEO of Quotezone. “The Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Trevi Fountain in Rome are particularly popular with pickpockets because they can disappear unnoticed in the huge crowd.”
Wilson advises tourists to leave all valuables in the hotel safe. However, it would be even wiser to travel without valuables at all, so that the shiny chain does not become an object of interest to thieves.
You should also take care of a safe bag to take with you on long walks around the city. The bag should have a zipper to keep the phone and wallet safe. You can also use a bag that wraps around your waist so that it is visible at all times.
Foto: Shutterstock
“Try not to leave personal belongings unattended. Insurance companies also require tourists to protect their belongings, otherwise compensation for theft may be denied,” warns Wilson. He also emphasizes that the theft must be reported to the police, because only a police report will be able to confirm the insurance case later.
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It is also recommended to make copies of all important documents and store them in online data repositories so that any theft during the trip does not turn into a real nightmare.
2023-09-09 16:07:33
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