Roman tourists subjected to ‘100 robberies a day’ in wave of street crime

Mauro Cicala, who runs a restaurant on a busy street near the Roman Forum, told Italian newspaper Il Messaggero that he detected five theft attempts targeting his customers in one day.

“As soon as we recognize one of them, we sound the alarm,” he said. “We learned how to recognize them because they wore hats, sweatshirts and backpacks to blend in with the tourists. From their clothing and behavior I know who is a potential pickpocket.”

The level of theft on Rome’s public transport system has also made headlines in recent months, with police increasing patrols on the city’s metro lines.

On Tuesday, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi ordered dozens of police officers to carry out random checks on the Metro A line, which tourists often use to reach St. Peter’s Square and the Vatican Museums.