Pickpockets, Florence

Pickpockets are fewer in Florence than in Rome and Naples but they are here. Gypsy kids are pretty obvious but tourists miss the real pros who look just like everyone else. Actually, the drunks and drug addicts who accummulate outside SMN at night have no interest in tourists, but there are pickpockets in any crowded art of the station and near and on the Ponte Vecchio.

Contrary to some of the fanciful posts I have seen, I strongly advise against carrying pepper spray and similar. Only very low doses (10%) are currently legal in Italy and they are more likely to enrage a thief that disable him (or her). Furthermore, laws in Italy change rapidly and at the very least you would lose a lot of your precious vacation time if arrested for carrying or using an offensive weapon (which is what a can of pepper spray is).

More to the point, mugging is rare in Italy but pickpockets are common and extremely skilled. It's more than likely that you won't use your spray because the thief will be long gone before you realise what's happening. Much better to organise your valuables so that pickpockets can't get at them. There's a very useful article on anti-pickpocket strategems here: http://www.bella-toscana.com/pickpocketsinitaly.htm and a bit more in relation to Naples here: http://www.naples-napoli.com/pickpocketsinnaples.htm

Be smart about your surroundings and aware of the people around you. The little pickpockets are fairly obvious and can be deterred but have no problem coming around again. We were approached as we walked near San Lorenzo and again on the bus to Fiesole.
Just be smart and alert.

Terravision bus offers the cheapest/most direct transportation between Florence's A.M. Novella train station and Pisa airport. Often they overbook, and the driver calls the names of those who have reservations to board first. Instead of lining everyone up at the side of the bus so every hopeful passenger will have some space, the driver usually stands guard at the narrow bus door, making everyone pack into a tight semicircle, hoping to be the first on the bus in order not to miss his flight (taxi to Pisa airpport is Euro 140 one way). Be careful while you are being pressed and pushed by increasingly desperate passengers. While you are watching the bus driver struggle with the pronunciation of names on the reservations list, it is easy to miss someone unzipping your bag. One of the passengers in the melee slipped our airtickets out of my wife's tote bag during a crush to board the bus in March (it took 30 minutes to board about 30 people).

Florence is not a dangerous city so you can walk safely by its streets and piazzas, just be careful with pickpockets, they use to stay near to the main places and attractions, keep your belongings on safe.

Florencia no es una ciudad peligrosa y puedes caminar tranquilamente por sus calles y plazas. Lo que si tienes que gastar cuidados es con los carteristas, suelen estar en los alrededores de los principales lugares.

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I was warned before my trip to Italy and Florence for pickpockets. It is true, they probably is in there, but this time fortunately our roads didn't cross.
They are everywhere, pickpockets, not only in Itay. They are moving on places, where usually is very much tourists, who watching the sights, forget all around. Then they are easy target.

I think you can't never be too beware with hideing you money and travel documents.

I was pleasantly surprising to see at the known tourist-traps (Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, Palazzo Vecchio, Basilica di San Lorenzo) much of policemans and carabineers.

Pickpockets are everywhere, but it's especially a problem in some of the larger cities in Europe. Gypsies operate in and around the train stations. They will wait for passengers to disembark the train and in the chaos, they will rip you off. They will also come up to you quite directly and ask for money and will get on and off the trains at random points looking for luggage that is easy to grab. Since there aren't so many train conductors who come and check your ticket, it's an ideal area for thieves to operate in and it's really something travellers should be mindful of. In Florence, pickpocketing is such a problem that the police have made significant efforts combat this problem (both as visibly dressed uniform officers parading up and down the historic district and as uncover officers). This should alleviate any worries but always be street-smart because pickpocketers are everywhere. Another method pickpocketers will use is by setting up an vending area (often a simple cardboard box with fake sunglasses or scarves or handbags attached). They try to sell you something and as you pull out your wallet, they snag it. Selling in this manner is illegal and they try to avoid the police but you will see them everywhere....just stay away from them, be firm with saying 'No' and don't pull out any money around them.

Around the Ponte Vecchio area there were many gypsies hanging around especially in or near crowds of tourists. They pass over a baby or a doll to distract you, and also they use the little children to steal and pick pocket from tourists who are busy looking at other things to notice.

The San Lorenzo Market is in one of the most beautiful blocks of central Florence. Unfortunately this block is becoming more and more the dormitory of gipsies and illegal immigrants who do not have any respect of the ancient monuments (there is an awful stink all over the streets, because these people probabily do not even know that streets are not public toilets!!!), and of tourists as well! And the problem is that our local government does not care about what these "animals" do to the San Lorenzo Block and to tourists. So be careful and when you go to visit the San Lorenzo Market (which is very nice), pay attention to your wallets, watches and whatever precious you have. I would suggest you not to walk through the San Lorenzo block during the night unless you want to be hit by some illegal immigrant.