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5 Pickpocket Tricks Surging In Europe This Summer (And 3 Ways To Avoid Them)

By Marco Bianchi, Rome Tour Guide

I lead walking tours through Rome. Trevi Fountain. Spanish Steps. Termini Station. The Colosseum queues. And every summer, I watch the same thing happen again and again.

Someone in the group would suddenly stop. Pat their pockets. Check their bag. Then the look on their face would change.

Phone gone. Wallet gone. Passport gone.

The frustrating part is this: most people think pickpocketing is random. It’s not. It’s a routine. A set of moves that work best when the city is packed and everyone’s distracted.

This doesn’t just happen in Italy. It happens in every European country tourists visit. So I’m going to share with you what I tell every single one of my tour groups.

Here are five of the most common pickpocket tricks surging during peak Europe season, and exactly what to watch for.

1. The Metro/Subway Shuffle

This one is everywhere in Europe, but it’s especially common in big tourist cities.

A group crowds around you as the doors open. Someone bumps you. Someone blocks you. Someone presses in too close.

In the chaos, hands go to your pockets or your bag zips. Then the doors close and the group gets off… with your phone or wallet.

Where it happens most: metro doors, escalators, platforms, busy interchanges, airport train lines.

2. The Distraction Item

A stranger approaches smiling and tries to hand you a “gift” or something they “found.”

A ring. A bracelet. A note. Sometimes they’ll ask you to sign a petition or answer a quick question.

The item isn’t the point. The point is to get you looking down, reaching into your bag, or holding something you didn’t ask for.

While you’re focused on the interaction, someone else is focused on your valuables.

Where it happens most: outside major attractions, busy squares, near ticket lines.

3. The Stain Scam

Someone spills something on you. Coffee. Ice cream. Sauce. Anything.

Then they apologise and insist on helping you clean it up. They get close, fast, and very “helpful.”

While they dab at your clothes, they (or their friend) are also checking pockets, opening zips, or lifting a wallet.

It’s nasty because it feels polite. And tourists don’t want to be rude.

Where it happens most: café areas, outdoor dining streets, crowded pedestrian lanes.

4. The Photo Scam

A friendly person offers to take your photo. Or asks you to take theirs.

It seems harmless. It feels like holiday vibes.

But if you hand over your phone or camera without thinking, they can literally turn and run — and disappear into a crowd in seconds.

Sometimes it’s even more organised: one person engages you while another is ready to bolt.

Where it happens most: scenic lookouts, bridges, viewpoints, landmark entrances.

5. The Crowd Bottleneck

If you’ve ever tried to walk near a tourist hotspot like the Trevi Fountain at peak hour, you’ve felt this.

Someone stops suddenly on stairs or in a narrow walkway. Everyone bunches up. You can’t move. You’re pressed shoulder-to-shoulder.

That’s the moment hands go to pockets and bags. Pickpockets don’t need strength. They need a crowd doing the work for them.

Where it happens most: popular stairways, tight alleyways, museum entrances, landmark choke points.

3 Simple Tips To Avoid These Tricks

So now you know what to look out for, how can you avoid these common pickpocket traps? Here are three simple steps to keep yourself safe.

1. Get an anti-theft crossbody bag

Backpacks are easy targets. Side bags that sit behind you are too. A crossbody bag worn in front is harder to access without you noticing. Bonus points if the zips are hidden or it has a slash-proof strap too.

2. Ignore unsolicited attention

If someone offers gifts, help, petitions, “found” items or tries to pull you into a chat, keep moving. Polite and firm wins every time.

3. Turn your awareness up in crowds

The risk spikes in metros, queues and bottlenecks. If you feel yourself getting boxed in, put a hand on your bag and create a little space if you can.

The Anti-Theft Bag I Recommend For Europe

After watching the same pickpocket tricks play out summer after summer, I stopped relying on “being careful” alone. The crowds are too hectic and the scams are too well rehearsed.

That’s why, when friends ask what to bring for Europe, I always recommend an anti-theft bag that sits in front of your body and actually zips shut in a way that’s hard to access unnoticed.

The Anti-Theft Crossbody Bag from Simplify Living is built for exactly this. It’s worn in front, has hidden zippers that are difficult to open quietly in a crowd, and it keeps your essentials close to your body in the places pickpockets love most.

It also has the advantage of not looking like an ugly tourist bag and fits in well with European fashion.

At the time of writing, it’s available with 50% off plus free shipping, a 2-year warranty and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Simplify Living is also running monthly Euro Summer giveaways where you can win prizes like $15,000 or flights to Europe.

You can’t control the crowds in Europe. But you can make yourself a much harder target.

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About The Author

Marco Bianchi is a tour guide who works in Rome leading walking tours through the city’s busiest landmarks and transport hubs. He writes about practical ways to travel safer, avoid tourist traps and enjoy Europe with less stress.

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