Which European nation has the most pickpockets?

Which European nation has the most pickpockets?

Travelling the world awaits, but where wide-eyed gleeful travellers go, eager pickpockets await.

And as good as you may think you are a traveller, or as safe as you might think you are being, there’s always the risk of getting your goods nicked.

That’s why travel insurance comparison experts at Quotezone.co.uk have crunched the numbers to reveal where each of the most popular European holiday destinations rank on their European Pickpocketing Index.

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.

Visitors 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 mentioned having items stolen in 1,906 Tripadvisor reviews.

France has the second highest number of pickpocketing mentions at 283 per million visitors, with all 5 attractions monitored being in Paris. The Netherlands ranked third on the pickpocketing index despite being only the ninth most visited country. Despite Barcelona’s reputation for pickpocketing, Spain only came sixth on the list with five times fewer mentions of theft than Italy.

Pickpocketing index (Quotezone.co.uk)

Greg Wilson, Founder and CEO of Quotezone.co.uk, said that unfortunately, this new research shows that thousands of people have complained about items being stolen while experiencing the best that Europe has to offer.

“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,” Wilson said.

“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 for Brits 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.”


Featured Image: Shutterstock

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