Bob Arno
Travelers going on vacation or business remember to pack their luggage, but often leave their common sense at home. They are the prime targets of thieves and scam artists lurking at airports, hotels, and casinos waiting to take their cash and other valuables.
20/20's Arnold Diaz spoke to Las Vegas entertainer Bob Arno, an innovative stage artist who incorporates the styles of street thieves into his act to entertain and educate his audiences about the work of con men. Every year, Arno goes to the world's top travel destinations to find, follow and film pickpockets and con artists at work. He uses the unique surveillance video in his stage shows and shares it with police and security forces around the world.
Arno showed correspondent Arnold Diaz how thieves operate in Las Vegas. In Europe, Bob exposed street scams and con games on incredible hidden-camera footage.
So how can you protect yourself and your family -- and still have a great time?
Bob Arno joined us online to talk about the scams, rip-offs and con games that could ruin your getaway. The transcript appears below.
Nov. 6, 2000 ABC News 20/20 Chat Room Transcript
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Moderator at 1:56pm ET
Welcome Bob Arno.
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Greg at 1:57pm ET
Bob, my wife and 2 kids are going on a cruise soon. What are the basic steps we can take to safeguard our valuables at sea?
Is a cruise ship a "safer" environment than a resort destination?
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Bob Arno at 1:58pm ET
A cruise ship is, 99% of the time, far safer with regard to theft than any other form of traveling, for three major reasons. First, the culprits working on board a ship have no way to escape ship's security. Secondly, cruise ship companies hire people from all over the world to work on board and they have a very tight screening process for these individuals. The last reason why cruise ships are relatively safe is that the security companies that they use may lose their lucrative position if they hire people who are not trustworthy.
Of course, cruise ships are not 100% theft-proof. There are occasional reports from the cruise industry that numbers from telephone cards, or credit cards, have been stolen from passengers. But, all in all, ships are much safer than staying in a hotel might be.
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John Arena from trw.com at 1:59pm ET
Is there generally a standard diversion, distraction, or tip-off that a target can be taught to recognize when confronted by a con man or pickpocket?
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Bob Arno at 2:00pm ET
Very good question. I wish there were a telltale sign, but the bad guys come from so many different cultural backgrounds that their behavior cannot be said to have any gesture or characteristic in common that might tip off a potential victim. When we track these culprits ourselves, we look for head motion or eye movement that tips us off, but the knack for seeing such things takes a long time to develop. There's no way the average traveler could learn to spot a potential thief that way.
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Tom Ross from tasb.org at 2:01pm ET
Is it a good idea to carry money in a front pocket which is then safety-pinned shut? ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob Arno at 2:02pm ET
 The most common question I get is "Which pocket should one keep money in?" The general reply is:
the tighter the pocket the better.
However, in any very crowded situation, a crowded bus, train, subway station, it doesn't matter to the culprits whether your pockets are in front or back. It's a good idea for the person who carries the money, male or female, to keep their hand over the valuables while in a crowded area.
Naples, Italy has one of the highest rates of pickpocketing per capita in the world. Neopolitans, therefore, hold their hands around their valuables while they are on buses and trams. It's a good lesson for other parts of the world as well.
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Mary Anne Friesen from colorado-springs7.co.pub-ip.psi.net at 2:03pm ET
How do thieves pick a target to rob?
What tips them off that it will be profitable, or that they won't get caught? ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob Arno at 2:06pm ET
Also an excellent question. What is the psychology behind the selection of a victim?
Thieves have something which we call "grift sense", by which they evaluate the victim according to age, the victim's gregariousness, the victim's speed and pace while moving, and other factors. When they evaluate the expression on the face of the victim, they sense the level of confrontation possible.
Thieves note where the victim makes a transaction. They might watch where the person places his wallet. They also might brush against the victim to feel where the wallet has been placed. They call that "fanning". By establishing where the victim's money is kept, the thief can then proceed quickly when they actually have the opportunity to remove it.
Thieves are also concerned about their potential for escape after the crime has been committed. On a bus, a tram or subway, they will place themselves at the entry point of the tram in a "getaway" position, rather than risk being trapped further inside the vehicle.
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Dave from interl.net at 2:06pm ET
How can I avoid theft at x-ray machines at airports? ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob Arno at 2:08pm ET
Theft around x-ray machines is no longer as prevalent as it was in years past. Security cameras have been placed around most of these devices. However, there are still certain parts of the world where you might leave your belongings on the conveyor belt and then get distracted by people coming in between you and those belongings.
Pause at the point where you enter the x-ray kiosk and don't put things onto the conveyor belt until you know that you can immediately pass to the other end, particularly if you are carrying something valuable. If you are traveling with another person, have that person go through first and post themselves at the other end of the conveyor belt to meet both of your belongings.
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dpaw from dialins.utoledo.edu at 2:08pm ET
How is it possible for someone to steal a ring while you're wearing it and fully conscious? ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob Arno at 2:10pm ET
Stealing of rings and jewelry is not very common. Sometimes thieves use oil or some other slippery substance; they shake hands with the victim and slide the ring off once it's lubricated. There are certain places in the world, South America, for example, where this happens to men in bars while they are in conversation. In other cases, children will come up and offer to "play" with the victim, then place the lubricant around the item and slide it off. As I said, this gambit isn't very common.
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Mike at 2:10pm ET
Are women or men more vulnerable to distraction theft? ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob Arno at 2:12pm ET
Interesting question. There is actually no difference. Women are far more often the victims, but this is because they carry handbags. It's easier to dip into a handbag undetected, because a ladies' handbag is not attached to the body. Fannypacks, of the sort commonly worn in Europe and the United States, are equally vulnerable on crowded transportation. Pickpockets do not particularly care if their victims are men or women. They will proceed based on whether they think they can succeed.
There are some pickpockets in Europe that are very brazen; they will make an attempt, opening a zipper, then, if they sense that the victim becomes aware of what's happening, they will shy away and simply proceed to the next victim. These thieves don't seem to be very afraid of confrontation. They seem to work on a percentage, succeeding about five times out of ten.
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Steve from nortelnetworks.com at 2:13pm ET
How can I recognize a potentially dangerous person or situation? ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob Arno at 2:14pm ET
Often a pickpocketing happens in a crowd, at a sporting event, perhaps, or entering a turnstile. Pickpockets often work in teams, with the "stall" impeding the victim's progress so that the "pick" can work from behind or from the side to actually remove the wallet. The victim becomes sandwiched between the "stall" and the "pick". If you avoid allowing yourself to be sandwiched between two people, you stand a good chance of making it extremely difficult for a pickpocket. It's difficult for a person to tell the difference between a pickpocketing and simply being crowded by someone. Always try to face people. If you are in a bus, stay against the wall. Do not allow yourself to be sandwiched.
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Moderator at 2:15pm ET
What can tourists do to make sure their hotel rooms or cruise ship state rooms are secure? ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob Arno at 2:17pm ET
In either situation, use a small traveling pouch that you carry around your neck and under your clothing. These cost only a few dollars, and you can safely carry your credit card, travelers checks, or cash while in transit. Then these valuables can be placed in the safety boxes or locked boxes that are available in most rooms today. These boxes are locked either with a plastic key card or a number combination, making them practically impossible to break into. You then need to make sure, of course, that you don't leave this key card lying around! Those are the only times we see something happen on a ship; when people leave their key cards out in the open.
When you travel abroad to smaller, unknown hotels, and you don't know much about local security and the local labor force, traveling with cash is not a smart thing. Using credit cards instead of cash in most small countries means that you only pay two to three percent over the prevailing bank rate, instead of exorbitant foreign exchange fees.
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Yoyo at 2:19pm ET
How prevalent is 'purse-snatching' these days? ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob Arno at 2:23pm ET
Good question. A lot of countries today are starting to use surveillance cameras in public. In America we don't use cameras to the same extent because of the privacy issue. Because of the cameras, the usual form of sneak thefts, or distraction thefts, has been cut in half in many places. However, because of drug abuse, some offenders still need quick money, and they resort to bag snatching.
Bag snatching has increased in several very popular European destinations in recent years. Thieves rip a handbag right off and then run away around a corner or somewhere to which they have easy access. These thefts don't happen on large, busy streets, but, rather, on small side streets. To reduce risk, hold your hands over your handbag. Wear it sideways over one shoulder and in front of your body, with arms crossed over the bag. By the way, I'm not, in any way, suggesting that you ruin your traveling experience by constantly being on guard and thinking there's a thief around every corner. The U.S. State department has a very good website where they warn about the likelihood of travel threats in each foreign country. Checking that site before you go abroad might prevent a theft from happening while you travel. Asking local travel guides where to be careful is also a smart idea.
Please don't think that every tourist, every woman with a bag who travels in Spain, for example, will be ripped off. It's really not very common to be robbed, but the incidence of theft is high enough to require caution and common sense.
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Tom at 2:24pm ET
If you discover that you've been pickpocketed in a public place, should you make a loud public commotion immediately in hopes of flushing out the perpetrator -- or quietly and speedily locate a police officer? ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob Arno at 2:26pm ET
Excellent question. The idea of confronting a pickpocket is one that needs careful evaluation. If you are confronting a "hopped up" criminal on drugs, one cannot predict what they will do. They might be carrying a knife or a gun. There are some nations where, because of the availability of drugs, confrontation of the pickpocket is not a good idea.
Most of the time, making a lot of noise and demanding the belongings back, when you sense you are "in charge", is all right. Otherwise, report the crime instantly, block your credit card, and allow the police to begin investigating so as to prevent identity theft.
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rmoreno@ziplink.net from worldbank.org at 2:27pm ET
One pickpocket technique we ran into in Italy is the group attack. A group of 5 or 6 young kids (gypsies) approach you and some of them start pulling on your arms while the others quickly slip their hands into your pockets and pull out anything they find. As your money falls on the ground, these kids throw a newspaper over it to prevent you from noticing. What recommendations do you have for avoiding this kind of 'group attack' ? ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob Arno at 2:28pm ET
That is a political problem as much as anything. The local authorities in Italy are aware of the problem, but, because of the age of the culprits, it is hard to make them serve any lengthy jail term. If you suspect you're about to be robbed by such a group, be very firm and loud, as the Italians have learned to be. Shout "basta", which means "enough", and look hard at them and shoo them away. These individuals really do not want confrontation, and will move on to an easier victim if you're insistent enough.
One should remember that these culprits come from war torn countries, where they live in refugee camps and have no money and few possessions. They are taught by their elders how to steal to survive. I am not saying we should have so much sympathy for them that we excuse their behavior, but we need to understand that they are desperate. Italy is trying to solve this problem through education, but it is a slow process.
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Moderator at 2:30pm ET
How are international police departments addressing the problem of tourist scams? ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob Arno at 2:32pm ET
Unfortunately, there is little cooperation between countries, the main reason being that the law enforcement agencies in these countries are underfunded and overwhelmed. Thefts like these, unlike burglary or harsher crimes, are very seldom considered a crime with intent to harm. They are merely looked upon as an inconvenience for tourists.
Some culprits are actually rather nomadic as well. Gangs from countries like Peru, Chile, and Columbia do not stay in one specific country but migrate from country to country to avoid capture. These individuals may operate only while in transit, in airports, or while working in hotels. "Breakfast thieves" concentrate on businessmen's attache cases and laptop computers. The EC countries are, to some extent, collaborating on addressing this problem.
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Jay Andrew from myersind.com at 2:33pm ET
Last time I was in Las Vegas I was amazed at the behavior of people walking along the strip. Everybody seemed to be looking around at the sights, completely distracted. A perfect setting for getting pickpocketed or worse, don't you think? ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob Arno at 2:34pm ET
Pickpocketing in Las Vegas does happen but, because of the local security in the casinos, it is not as prevalent as you might think. There are more security "eyes" in Las Vegas than there are anywhere else in the world, and this helps keep this sort of crime to a minimum. However, on the buses going up and down the strip, pickpocketing can occur. Prevention in that case is the same as it would be in a crowded Metro in Paris, a subway in New York, or on the London Underground: be aware. ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kata Patton at 2:35pm ET
I watched your piece on pickpockets, but didn't see anything about pigeon droppings on tourists. We were in Barcelona in September. My very trusting husband was pickpocketed when a man offered to clean pigeon droppings that had fallen onto my husband's jacket. Then the thief took $200 cash, credit cards, traveler's cheques, and my husband's driver's license. Have you heard of this scam?
We were later told that these crooks manufacture the "pigeon droppings" and smear them on their victims themselves. We were also told that the people of Barcelona are trying to get the Mayor out of office as he is not doing much to clean up the pickpocket scene. ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob Arno at 2:36pm ET
Yes, in Barcelona the pigeon poop ploy is common. These culprits carry a small plastic container with the offending liquid inside. They spray your clothes, wait a few moments, and then come up to you with a water bottle and offer to "help" you clean it off. As they do that they have a reason to touch, distract and, ultimately, rob the victim. This scam is not unique, however, to Barcelona. Variations on that theme using mustard, ketchup, or other forms of soiling, are common as well, abroad and in the United States.
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ronclark5 at 2:37pm ET
My wife and I are going to Greece on December 1st. We are taking a packaged tour. Is there anything special that we should 'watch out' for? ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob Arno at 2:38pm ET
Greece, being close to Russia, is an easy entry point for Russian pickpockets. There are many pickpockets from Russia operating in Pireus and in Athens. They usually work the train between Pireus and Athens, and are quite bold in their use of razor blades to cut through your purse or bag. They are not to be confronted. Generally speaking, Greece is a very safe place, and has little local pickpocket activity
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Wendy at 2:38pm ET
Do you recommend that a woman carry a really large purse that would be conspicuous if snatched, or is it better to carry a small bag that you can hold on to? ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob Arno at 2:40pm ET
A firm canvas type bag with straps that are an inch and a half or two inches in width cannot be ripped from your shoulder. This will discourage thieves. Of course, you may not want to make this kind of fashion statement! Smaller bags are easier to steal. Usually, being aware of the fact that you can be robbed will effect your body language; you will appear to be more "street smart".
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Jana at 2:40pm ET
Is there a way to behave to prevent someone from approaching you with a "lost-my-wallet-can-you-help-me" scam? I have been approached with that line about a hundred times, everywhere from Vegas to Hong Kong. I assume there is something about me that encourages them -- nobody ever tries it on my husband. ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob Arno at 2:43pm ET
If the implication is how can one avoid giving off an air, a look, an image, of "victim", the most common remedy is to appear less jolly, more determined. If we want to be extreme about it, clever politicians and diplomats carry a local newspaper to make them look as if they're locals themselves. This won't work for Americans - we are very easily detected when we travel abroad. The main reason is the jolly expressions that we wear on our faces.
I do not personally believe tourists can change their "image" when they travel. We can't blend in when we are in extremely dangerous destinations, such as parts of South America or South Africa. Your only alternative is to make sure that you are never in a threatening situation. In potentially dangerous locations, in Bogota, for example, or Johannesburg, we need to ask our local contacts which areas to avoid, at which hours of the day, and how to go from point "a" to point "b" safely without using local transportation.
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MB at 2:43pm ET
With the Christmas shopping season fast approaching, what will pickpockets be looking for in crowds? ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob Arno at 2:45pm ET
Good question, because pickpocketing at Christmas increases tenfold. We don't think of security at Christmastime, when we are in large department stores, etc, because there are so many things around to distract us at that time of year. We forget about minding our handbags, wallets and purses. Carrying our purses in front, rather than on the side, and keeping one arm over the wallet in crowds can prevent a theft.
Christmas shopping always means huge crowds and, as we know, crowded situations are what thieves look for.
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Dan from Mich. at 2:45pm ET
I will be traveling on business to Germany and Amsterdam at the end of this month. Are there any particular scams or situations that are specific to these countries that I should keep an eye out for? ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob Arno at 2:47pm ET
In Germany there are, generally speaking, few pickpockets. The only places in which you might have to be careful would be crowded buses or, perhaps, in the train stations in Hamburg and in Frankfurt. In Amsterdam, there is a lot of pickpocketing by illegal immigrants who may be part of the drug trade; this is the way they augment their income. Usually, this happens on buses and trams in downtown Amsterdam.
The rest of Holland, the Netherlands, has very little crime. There are no specific setups for crimes in these countries, there are no clever ploys and misdirections such as those used in Italy or Spain. It is just your basic crowding, "stalling", and then going for the pockets.
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Mark from icx.net at 2:47pm ET
What are some of the most unseen ways of pickpocketing around? ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob Arno at 2:50pm ET
Some gimmicks are uncommon, but are still devilishly clever. A thief may drop a contact lens, apologize and push you back, saying "watch out", which then allows him to make physical contact. The pigeon poop method we spoke about is what I would call a cute ploy. Thieves may also cut a hole in the side of their jacket so that they can reach through that hole, and shield themselves with a newspaper so that no one sees a theft in progress. They may even have a fake arm. Sophisticated gangs are using beepers and telephones to track the police so that they may avoid detection and arrest.
There are certainly other forms of distraction. We don't want to reveal all of these sorts of tricks, because if these scams become common knowledge, we may have copycat crimes, as well as having more difficulty in catching these people.
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Moderator at 2:51pm ET
Bob, do you have any final thoughts to share? ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob Arno at 2:55pm ET
I would like say again that it's important while traveling not to ruin the fun and sheer joy by obsessing about your security. Balance being aware with having fun. By using two credit cards, from competing companies, you never have to worry about being in a strange place and not having one, or the other, accepted. Carrying two different types of credit cards will cover practically any major purchase. If someone steals your credit cards you simply need to report it as quickly as you can. It's never necessary to carry a lot of cash; you'll only need it for taxis or small purchases, like cappuccino. It's not necessary to change a lot of money into foreign cash.
Remember to lock up your belongings when you arrive. If there's no safety deposit box in your room, make sure you use the safety deposit box at the hotel, and always get a receipt.
Men can carry valuable items in small pouches that are designed to hang from the belt inside the pants.
And remember, when people approach you, be a little cynical first, and then be hospitable and agreeable if you feel they are trustworthy. Don't volunteer to "help" anyone until you ascertain exactly what they might want from you. We have a section on our website that discusses travel safety and incidents at www.bobarno.com. The section is called "The Tall Swede Journal" because I'm 6'5" and I'm from Sweden. I don't know if The Wall Street Journal thinks that's terribly funny, but we think it is!
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Moderator at 2:55pm ET
Thank you Mr. Arno for joining us. ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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June 25, 2001 ABC News 20/20 Chat Room Transcript
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Moderator at 1:58 p.m. ET
Welcome Bob Arno! Thanks for joining us.
Bob, how do you go about spotting a pickpocket? ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob Arno at 1:59 p.m. ET
I spot a pickpocket a little differently than a consumer in the street. I use certain body profiling characteristics. For example, if a tourist is looking at some things, the pickpocket is looking at the pockets of the victim. A pickpocket will move with a different pace and speed compared with a tourist, and I look for tenseness.
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Vince Davi writes:
"I was a victim of the cardboard attack from Zingare children in Rome. I had no idea what was going on. Final result: I was robbed of cash from my fanny pack. I will be traveling to Italy again this summer. Would I be out of line to get verbally abusive once I get approached by these thieves?" ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob Arno at 2:04 p.m. ET
Every tourist who goes to a foreign country would like to be correct in that country culturally. We may not like to be violent or abusive, but we must not allow others to penetrate our personal body space.
The minute a perpetrator or pickpocket makes physical contact, we should behave the same way as the locals do. In Italy people say "basta" which means stop. In every nation if we are loud and brush them off, the pickpocket looks for meeker and weaker victims. They do not like confrontation.
By talking about personal space, I mean every person is comfortable with how close they allow someone to be to you. If they invade your personal space, you need to react aggressively.
In Spain, France and Italy, it is not considered impolite or abusive to brush away these people. If you take this position, you will never have pickpocketing happen to you.
The only danger zone is on public transport systems — trains, buses, metro. Everything is crowded. You cannot avoid the tight, packed crowd scenes. In those instances, you must keep your hands or arm over your personal belongings squeezed against your body. ------------------------------------------------------------------------
D.N.Vincent at 2:04 p.m. ET
Very interesting travel advice last Friday night on pickpocketing in Europe. If someone succeeds in taking my wallet in Europe, do I have to be concerned with identity theft? Who and where to report your loss?
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Bob Arno at 2:07 p.m. ET
You have to be very concerned today with identity theft, more so than a few years ago.
The first thing is call the credit card company for the cards that you're carrying.
The second thing should be to call the credit report. There are three companies you must alert: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion Credit. The reason for doing that is you immediately stop the thief from alerting his companions in America to recreate your ID and make cash removals.
The complication is that you need to find the 800 numbers for these three companies, and through AT&T or Sprint or whoever you use, you must make that connection and call in your information.
The third thing should be a local police, and the fourth thing, if you have lost your passport or identity is to call American consulate or embassy in the country you're visiting.
Finally, keep one credit card in your hotel room so that you are not stranded. If you carry three cards, keep one in your room and carry two. If you keep four, whatever number, keep always one in the safe in your hotel room.
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nico at 2:09 p.m. ET
Mr. Arno, could you please explain any dangers we should be aware of in terms of leaving valuables in your hotel room. Are there insiders who steal from hotel guests?
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Bob Arno at 2:12 p.m. ET
Because the European Union (meaning all the European countries) in the summer months use a lot of transient help, the screening of employees in some hotels is not as high as they would like. One always has to be concerned about hotel room theft. The only way to protect yourself is to lock your valuables in the hotel room safe.
If your belongings are larger than the size of the safe, for example, a videocamera or something bigger, use your suitcases if they are hard shell. The chance of them breaking into a hard shell case is very slim.
The best cases are the ones made of aluminum, not because they are harder to break into in the hotel room, but because they are harder in airport transit when you are, for example, waiting for two hours to your next destination. Airport theft only happens if an employee can quickly break into a case.
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jill renee at 2:12 p.m. ET
Are fanny packs a no-no if you want to stay pick-pocket free, regardless of location (i.e. whether here or abroad)?
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Bob Arno at 2:14 p.m. ET
A fanny pack is a very ambivalent security device. In most cases it's a very safe way of knowing where you have your belongings. But if you permit someone to squeeze into you on a crowded scene, bus or train, it is as easy to steal from a fanny pack as a pocket.
If you avoid physical contact, cardboard, and newspapers being shoved into you, like you saw in the 20/20 piece, it is a safe way to travel and keep your belongings.
The only danger comes when you allow the culprits to invade your space. Be aware that fanny packs should have wide, strong straps.
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Bill at 2:14 p.m. ET
Are there some European countries that are generally safer for tourists than others? If yes,which ones?
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Bob Arno at 2:15 p.m. ET
It is not fair to single out some countries that are particularly unsafe, because all over Europe pickpocketing and con games can happen.
Statistically, there are far fewer incidents in Northern Europe, Scandinavia, Finland, Denmark, Germany, and Norway.
But be aware that in the summer there are gangs from other parts of the world, pickpocket gangs with as many as 10 in a group, that specialize in hotel thefts during morning breakfast hours. Do not let your guard down, even in a place like north of England or North Cape in Norway.
Statistically, one can say that the countries around the Mediterranean have more incidents. That does not make them less attractive to visit, only to increase your awareness and raise your guard. Most if not all of pickpocketing can be avoided with due diligence and awareness. It is only tourists who let their guard down who become victims.
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Mark Moreland at 2:17 p.m. ET
I live in New York and have never really been afraid of this type of pickpocketing. Is this phenomenon only this popular and dangerous in other nations, or are similar techniques being used here in large tourist cities in the United States?
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Bob Arno at 2:23 p.m. ET
Interesting question. Yes, most of the techniques are the same all over the world, especially among the sophisticated pickpocket gangs who travel. However, every country has local and unique spins on their techniques.
We find that pickpockets in Greece, Spain, Italy, Turkey all have specific what I would call cute and amusing deviations to distract you. For example, in Spain they can often use flowers like we saw in the television program where they come up and give a flower and under the cover of giving you the flower they do the pickpocketing. We will not see that in another country.
In Italy and in Spain you'll often see a newspaper shoved into you, and under the cover of the newspaper they do the stealing. We do not see that in America.
In Russia, thieves work with razor blades; they cut through the fabric of your purse. We do not see that in Spain, England, and France.
In Russia, the pickpocketing can be extremely skillful, done by only one person with a little body jerk or push and an "Excuse me" phrase. More often, in southern Europe they work in teams of two or three.
Pickpockets sometimes spray something on you. Each country has a different material that they spray on you. In Spain, it looks like pigeon droppings. But in America, it looks like mustard and in Italy it looks like ice cream.
They come up and they say, "Can I help you brush that little gooey mess off you?" And under the cover of the physical contact the stealing occurs.
Sometimes they will step on your shoes and apologize, and during that physical contact the theft will occur.
But remember, it is not important for you as a tourist to remember all of these methods and techniques. Each year they tend to change, and they come up with new ones.
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Catherine at 2:24 p.m. ET
My sister and I will be going from Madrid to Lisbon and Madrid to Barcelona. People are telling us how to save money by taking the red eye trains so we would save on hotel costs. Do you recommend this and what precautions should be taken?
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Bob Arno at 2:26 p.m. ET
Train travel in Europe, especially the new rapid one and the upper class train format, is very pleasant and I would strongly advise you to take advantage of it. You can see the countryside if you travel from Paris to Nice in the day.
Night travel does have more requirements for precaution, particularly going from Italy through eastern Europe to Prague, Poland, St. Petersburg, or Berlin.
When you travel in Spain by train, you must be aware at train stations when people come and go into your compartment. Do not leave one of your suitcases at the end of the compartment where you can't see it.
Preferably have it under your seat, if possible. Buy a bicycle lock chain, and wrap it around one of the metal bars, if you are going to the bathroom or not paying attention -- anything to secure a backpack or some of your belongings. In spite of this warning, I suggest that you do take the train. Common sense and extra precaution are necessary at nighttime.
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Scott Paris from roalok1.mi.home.com at 2:27 p.m. ET
Saw your segment on Friday and was reminded of my experience in Spain earlier this year. I don't understand; the Italian people were helpful to you and seemed to dislike the thieves, but the police were only amused. How can they ignore something that so damages their country's reputation, and hurts tourism? If you could tape the thieves so easily, why couldn't the police? Are they on the take?
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Bob Arno at 2:30 p.m. ET
Very interesting and very complicated question to answer in a short time in this medium.
It is a political question and it is a question unique for Naples. Naples is the site of many factors fighting against each other. There are four different police factors in Naples. This type of crime is considered somewhat laughable to the local population.
You are right that it is despicable, and most of Italy looks down on it and feels ashamed about the situation in Naples. But this is not the time or place to go into the political complication in that part.
Remember that Naples is the center and the starting point for some of the most exciting travel in Europe. It is the cross point for going to the Amalfi coast, the Isle of Capri, the coastal areas.
One should always make an attempt, if one is near Rome, to visit these places, but have extreme care when you travel not be sucked into a con scam.
Rent a car or bus or take a tour. Do not be scared because of what you saw on television. Now you know the con and the scam, and they should not happen to you.
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Barb at 2:31 p.m. ET
My 14-year-old son will be traveling through Italy, Switzerland, Austria and France (Paris) early in July with a group of school children. Do you have any specific suggestions for kids who travel in groups?
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Bob Arno at 2:35 p.m. ET
Children usually have some form of travel host who goes along with them, a local person. In spite of that, children and teenagers are often victims of specially backpack theft at the train station. They must be warned over and over before they leave that this can happen to them.
But if they don't bring much in the way of valuables, it is a good lesson early in life to lose $40-$50 worth of belongings, realizing it can happen to you. There isn't much more one can do, because teenagers think they know everything.
There are several con games targeted at kids, the three-shell game in particular, done with carrots that are cut to three little shells and carved out. They use the very top, the end of the carrot, cut into inch-thick slices. They carve out the bottom so that it becomes like a curved shell, and they use them with a little pea pod, and you have to find where the pea is in three of these carrots.
It's a con game similar to the three-card monte. The three-shell game is always perpetrated toward teenage tourists in Spain.
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David from fau.edu at 2:35 p.m. ET
Are cellular phones targets for theft too?
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Bob Arno at 2:37 p.m. ET
The stealing of cellular phones is the highest form of crime in Europe today. There are close to 500 cell phone thefts a day just in the United Kingdom.
They are not done cleverly with a stealth factor; they are just smash and grab or grab and run, very often by teenagers on drugs.
You have to never leave your cell phone lying on a cafeteria table in Italy, in France, in England, in Spain, because thieves will walk by and grab it from you.
They are starting just now with new systems to immobilize the numbers so that if they are stolen, thieves cannot use them.
But this has not yet gone into effect across Europe. Always protect your cell or mobile phone carefully, and the number.
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Marcia at 2:37 p.m. ET
How safe are in-room safes?
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Bob Arno at 2:39 p.m. ET
If the in-room safe has the magic key, the one where you set the number yourself, it is very safe. If you set the key lock combination, where for example there is a pad with 10 numbers, it is very safe. If you use a credit card or another card with magnetic information, a stripe, to lock and open your safe, it is also very safe.
If, on the other hand, it is a key that you are given, it is less safe. Always ask the hotel when you check in what their insurance policy is for lost of stolen items from your room.
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Anne Wagner at 2:39 p.m. ET
What are the best resources to get additional information on protecting oneself in reasonable ways when traveling in Europe (Italy in our case)?
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Bob Arno at 2:43 p.m. ET
My first advice is, go to our State Department Web site. It's not run by commercial interests; it has no influence by private financial interests.
It states on a day-to-day basis warnings for every country in the world. If you are going to countries like France and Italy and United Kingdom, it is not so important to check the threat factor.
But if you are going on a safari in Africa and you stop over or you go to some other places that you think may be dangerous, checking in advance on the State Department' travel advice where every country is listed, you get advice on travel and crime, sometimes a little too serious, but always accurate.
Being forewarned is always best. You can also check our own Web site, which is BobArno.com You need to go to the section called "Serious Steals."
Finally, you can check with your travel company through whom you buy your travel arrangements.
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Moderator at 2:45 p.m. ET
Bob, do you have any final travel tips to share before we sign off?
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Bob Arno at 2:47 p.m. ET
One should always remember that thieves like to be one step ahead. Be particularly concerned with small personal digital assistants commonly called palm and pocket PCs. It is our natural instinct to put in all our credit card information and bank numbers in these gadgets. A new trend among businessmen is that these can often be stolen.
Finally, the most important thing that every traveler should do is to write down on one small piece of paper or cardboard the telephone numbers of a relative, your credit card companies, credit report companies, and keep this card away from your wallet in your hotel room locked up with some other belongings so that in case of an emergency, in case of a worst-case scenario, you can quickly call up the people and institutions you need to contact.
And finally, while traveling anywhere outside your home city in America or abroad, don't be a hero. Do not confront any form of mugging situation, any form of violent crime, whether it is a knife or sharp object, it is not worth it. The reason being, you cannot predict a desperate criminal.
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Moderator at 2:47 p.m. ET
Our thanks to Bob Arno and all those who participated in the chat! If you'd like to browse through recent ABCNEWS.com chat transcripts, please visit our chat archive.
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