Tourists heading to European hotspots this summer for a break away are being warned to be wary of certain areas, due to the risk of pickpocketing.
The likes of France, Italy, and Spain are particular favourites for Irish tourists, and all appear on the latest European index for the most pickpocketing incidents.
Most surprisingly, these popular destinations are now being coined as Europe's 'pickpocketing capitals’.
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The European Pickpocketing Index has revealed the riskiest spots to visit this year when it comes to the sneaky crime.
Although Spanish cities like Barcelona and Malaga are often considered high risk for tourists and pickpocketing, Spain as a whole ranked sixth overall.
The index ranks the most popular European holiday destinations by the proportion of pickpocketing mentions in visitor reviews of each country’s top five tourist attractions, according to Quotezone.
Italy landed in the number one spot with a warning to tourists planning visits to Italy’s Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, and Pantheon in Rome as well as the Duomo di Milano in Milan and the Gallerie Degli Uffizi in Florence.
The statistics show that pickpocketing has been mentioned as having items stolen in 1,906 Tripadvisor reviews.
France came in as the second highest risk for tourists for the number of pickpocketing mentions at 283 per million visitors. It may come as no surprise that all five attractions monitored were found in Paris.
The full ‘top ten’ list is as follows:
Italy
France
Netherlands
Germany
Greece
Spain
Portugal
Turkey
Ireland
Poland
Speaking about these findings, Greg Wilson, Founder, and CEO of Quotezone.co.uk said tourists have to be hyper-aware of their surroundings, especially in popular hotspots: “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.
“Iconic attractions like the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Trevi Fountain in Rome are particularly popular with pickpockets as they can move more inconspicuously amongst larger crowds.
“Many holidaymakers are unaware that some of the most popular destinations have some of the highest incidents of petty theft in Europe.
“Our research revealed some surprising results with Italy having the most pickpocketing mentions and Spain only coming in sixth with five times fewer mentions of theft.
“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.
“Try never to leave personal belongings unattended because travel insurance companies require travellers to take ‘reasonable care’ and could reject claims if items have been left alone.
“It is also important to remember to get a police report for the loss or theft of an item as this will support the insurance claim.
"Remember to double check what is and isn’t covered on the travel insurance policy before heading to these high-ranking destinations, most travel insurance policies cover important documentation such as passports but rarely cover stolen cash and phones.
“Most providers allow travellers to add extras that might be needed such as gadget travel insurance”.
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