Charlotte Foster
Travel Trouble

The worst country for pickpockets revealed

When it comes to travelling abroad, there are always different rules to abide by in order to have a stress-free holiday experience. 

Common sense is a huge key player in staying safe while travelling, with holiday goers often taking extra precautions to keep themselves and their belongings safe in foreign countries. 

However, there will always be sneaky people who prey on tourists, with these pickpockets having the power to turn a holiday potentially disastrous. 

While lots of savvy travellers will share their stories about a particular city and a close call they encountered on their journeys, a new survey has proven which European cities are the worst for pickpocketing. 

Travel insurance experts at Quotezone have compiled a list of the top 10 cities tourists (as well as locals) are likely to be pickpocketed while travelling around Europe, based on customer feedback and complaints. 

Italy has come in at the top spot, with the major cities reporting the biggest number of theft complaints in comparison to any other European countries. 

Tourists named hotspots such as the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon in Rome, as well as the Duomo di Milano in Milan and the Gallerie Degli Uffizi in Florence as places they were targeted by pickpockets. 

Coming in at second place was France, with major tourist hotspots in Paris all being named as places to be wary of pickpockets. 

Greg Wilson, Founder and CEO of Quotezone.co.uk, said that unfortunately this new research shows that thousands of people have complained about pickpockets in Europe while experiencing the best that European holiday destinations have to offer.

He said, “Theft can happen anywhere and tourist hotspots are convenient places for criminals to target holidaymakers’ wallets and purses whilst they are busy taking in the sites.”

“It is essential always to remain vigilant, leave valuables, like expensive jewellery, in a safe in the hotel and always travel with a secure cross-body bag with zips to secure phones and wallets or even a money belt.”

Check out the entire top ten list of destinations with the highest pickpocketing rates below. 

10. Poland

9. Ireland 

8. Turkey 

7. Portugal 

6. Spain 

5. Greece

4. Germany

3. The Netherlands 

2. France 

1. Italy

Image credits: Getty Images 

Tags:
travel trouble, pickpocketing, crime