[Idyllchat] pickpockets

[Jim & Nancy Ibbott]

We had a wonderful untour in rome.  We were warned about pickpockets, but we were robbed.  We were tired,very tired at the end of a Sunday excursionto Ostia Antica.  We did not know that buses were cancelled in the inner area on sundays.  We got off the train at the Coliseum, walked and walked and finally saw a #64 - it was very crowded, we got on.  Big mistake.  My husband caught burglar reaching under his shirt for the safety pouch around his neck - threw burglar out the bus door.  very dramatic. (Especially since he was 74 at the time) Meanwhile , I was being robbed - I had the safety pouch under my slacks and tshirt.  When all was discovered, my tshirt was pulled up, 4 zippers undone(I also had a fanny pack with my map and phrase book), and money was gone.  fortunately they dropped my credit card, or didn't want it.    I had no idea what was happening - it was very crowded  and I was very tired.  this just proves that these people are very good at what they do, and that you hould NEVER get on a crowded # 64 bus!
    To be fair to Rome, a good friend was robbed in a similar way on the Metro in Paris- only he had everything in his fanny pack, which he wore in front.  He was on a crowded car, and his arms were up holding on, and the man who was standing face to face with him robbed him.  
    Another friend sewed pockets into the waistband of her trousers.  She was hnot robbed.  You can also buy travellers skirts and pants with hidden pockets from Tilley Endurables.  I believe they work.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.dca.net/pipermail/idyllchat/attachments/20080114/4535e1d1/attachment.htm