For travelers throughout the world, there’s always a certain amount of potential threats they must pay attention to while exploring and having fun. One of the most notorious nuisances an innocent visitor to a foreign country could experience is pickpocketing. Silently strolling the streets of cities like Berlin, Paris, and Belgrade, an unsuspicious pedestrian could walk fifty meters and find their phone, wallet, and AirPods missing. In Venice, however, a citizen patrol has been set up to prevent such a scourge from terrorizing tourists so much.
“Attenzione, pickpocket!” has become a rallying cry for the Cittadini Non Distratti, or Undistracted Citizens, but has also become a famous TikTok phrase. Popularized by Monica Poli, a 57-year-old activist against the act of pickpocketing, visitors are warned by this phrase that a pickpocket may be near and hide their belongings accordingly.
Poli has spent time and effort to warn visitors to around the world about the threat of pickpocketing and things people can do to prevent it. She urges people to tell the police if they have been pickpocketed, as “if you are pickpocketed and you don’t go immediately to the police, the thief will stay free,” she said.
“We want to protect all of the tourists and let them know what is happening in Italy,” Poli stated in an interview for the Washington Post.
Maria Pasquale, a Rome-based author and travel journalist, suggests that visitors wear their bags cross-body and don’t let these belongings out of their sight. “I always carry my bag crossbody, never leave it sitting on or hanging off a chair out of my line of sight, and I am just that little more observant if I’m in a crowded area,” she says.
Pasquale also recommends that people carry fewer belongings at a time, due to the attractivity of a tourist carrying many different (especially expensive) things at once.
Lazza Ramo, a 36-year-old pickpocket watchdog from Milan, also suggests that tourists use overhead bins on aircraft sparingly, as many visitors find themselves arriving at their destination without their luggage, wallets, bags, and other personal belongings.
Pickpockets, however, also often use strategies to mask their efforts and steal more effectively in the dark. Many of these people will operate in groups, and use distractions to make tourists vulnerable and their belongings exposed.
“Look for a big hat or an open flowy shirt. They usually work in pairs or groups of three to four,” said Gillian Longworth McGuire, a Venice-based writer.
Although some viewers may be motivated to take charge and fight off pickpockets themselves, Poli and McGuire still advise against attracting the attention of pickpockets haphazardly. They suggest getting the attention of the authorities or people surrounding the area rather than singlehandedly taking on a pickpocket or group of pickpockets. For example, Poli was previously attacked by a group of pickpockets while trying to prevent them from stealing from a tourist.
“I continued to do the same thing. I don’t care,” Poli said. “You are in Italy. You must respect the tourists.”
“Attenzione, pickpocket!” has become a rallying cry for the Cittadini Non Distratti, or Undistracted Citizens, but has also become a famous TikTok phrase. Popularized by Monica Poli, a 57-year-old activist against the act of pickpocketing, visitors are warned by this phrase that a pickpocket may be near and hide their belongings accordingly.
Poli has spent time and effort to warn visitors to around the world about the threat of pickpocketing and things people can do to prevent it. She urges people to tell the police if they have been pickpocketed, as “if you are pickpocketed and you don’t go immediately to the police, the thief will stay free,” she said.
“We want to protect all of the tourists and let them know what is happening in Italy,” Poli stated in an interview for the Washington Post.
Maria Pasquale, a Rome-based author and travel journalist, suggests that visitors wear their bags cross-body and don’t let these belongings out of their sight. “I always carry my bag crossbody, never leave it sitting on or hanging off a chair out of my line of sight, and I am just that little more observant if I’m in a crowded area,” she says.
Pasquale also recommends that people carry fewer belongings at a time, due to the attractivity of a tourist carrying many different (especially expensive) things at once.
Lazza Ramo, a 36-year-old pickpocket watchdog from Milan, also suggests that tourists use overhead bins on aircraft sparingly, as many visitors find themselves arriving at their destination without their luggage, wallets, bags, and other personal belongings.
Pickpockets, however, also often use strategies to mask their efforts and steal more effectively in the dark. Many of these people will operate in groups, and use distractions to make tourists vulnerable and their belongings exposed.
“Look for a big hat or an open flowy shirt. They usually work in pairs or groups of three to four,” said Gillian Longworth McGuire, a Venice-based writer.
Although some viewers may be motivated to take charge and fight off pickpockets themselves, Poli and McGuire still advise against attracting the attention of pickpockets haphazardly. They suggest getting the attention of the authorities or people surrounding the area rather than singlehandedly taking on a pickpocket or group of pickpockets. For example, Poli was previously attacked by a group of pickpockets while trying to prevent them from stealing from a tourist.
“I continued to do the same thing. I don’t care,” Poli said. “You are in Italy. You must respect the tourists.”
