Leica & Thieves

[chris_chen]

I have never actually been robbed face-to-face. But I couldn't find

the word for "stolen from". I lived on the Gold Coast (Walton, later

Oak St.) and my bldgs. didn't have any parking, so I parked on the

street. I try to (of course, always legally) park as far east of La

Salle as possibe (away from Cabrini Green). But, one night I had to

park six blocks away. I had my heavy tool box with me and didn't

want to lug it back. I usually lock in to the lanyard in the back of

my SUV, but was particularly lazy that night. Got it stolen. Over

the next six months, someone(s) broke into it three more times

(nothing but toll change). Funny thing: they broke four different

windows.

 

<p>

 

Storage unit "robbed" of Nikon F2, M4 black enamel (!), CL......

 

In London, on three separate trips "lost" 500 C/M out of hotel room,

Oakleys from my coat hung up in a pub (Public House), and a Dunhill

lighter off the pub bar when I went to the loo (De L'eax). I was

with friends. They didn't do it, I thought they'd watch. No other

losses, just Chicago, London, and Rome.

 

<p>

 

Don't worry, be happy, no violence.

[chris_chen]

I forgot:

 

<p>

 

Giles, it's Jackie Chan

 

<p>

 

I guess I found another use for a monopods/tripod (see previous

threads)

[fred_ouyang]

Don,

 

<p>

 

If you have at least two persons going together, then it should be

fine with thieves. You two can look out for each other in the crowded

place, ex. subway, flee market...

 

<p>

 

If you do go out at late night, be ware of robbery, people usually

having dinner very late there, after your late dinner just get with

the crowd and stay on light streets. I was almost got robbed last

year during New Year, close to my hotel near Spanish steps in Roma.

 

<p>

 

Gerenally speaking, it's a safe place, just people can spot you as

tourists easier than in New York or chicago...

 

<p>

 

Have a good trip!

Fred

[chris_chen]

Don't get paranoid about getting stuff stolen. As the police always

say: don't resist. stuff is replacable; you're not. Preparation is

key.

 

<p>

 

My philosophy: Losing stuff; getting stuff robbed; getting stuff

stolen is Gods way of telling you:

 

<p>

 

1. You have too much stuff

 

<p>

 

2. You've been bad (stolen from others, taken money from others

(being paid goofing off in some forum), cheating on your taxes); what

goes around comes around

 

<p>

 

ALL RELIGIONS ARE EQUALLY TRUE

 

<p>

 

Be good, work hard/play hard, don't worry, be happy

 

<p>

 

Bon Voyage

[giles_poilu]

Chris, "Giles, it's Jackie Chan" - errr, no, I was trying to make a

joke about JOHN Chan's incognito street shooting wear - see other

thread.

 

<p>

 

Nothing to do with Jackie Chan, sorry.

[stefan www.randlkofer.co]

always take a backup with you when you are travelling.

[karl_georg_wolf]

my god, this site makes me scared stiff. Never lost anything directly

to thieves, but my camerabag was stolen out of a VW-beetle years ago.

Still suffering when I think about the M4 and the CL +++ which went

for ever.

 

<p>

 

Good luck on your trip, Don.

[oliver_s.]

Oh yeah, Europe's dangerous. And the hotels have wood stoves, only

cold water (if running water at all), and you get funny exotic viruses

with your food.</p>Just <b>insure</b> your photo equipment. And don't

appear to be a tourist. I.e., jeans are OK, waist packs and sneakers

are <u>not</u>. If anything shouts 'tourist' to me, a European, it's

waist packs!

[tom5]

Hey .. In Europe a couple of weeks ago, I stayed in a hotel with only

wood stoves! Of course I had to hike up almost 1000m in elevation

through a snowstorm to reach it. And, well, it wasn't really a hotel,

more like a mountain lodge! Well, really more like a mountain hut.

 

<p>

 

And, I felt a lot safer in Europe than in many big US cities. Trying

to stay away from gypsy kids is a LOT easier than trying to avoid

crazy people with big guns in the USA. Just leave the waist/fanny

pack and the sneakers home. Even experienced US travelers know that.

Nobody will pay attention to your Leica tucked under your jacket.

[chris_chen]

Oliver,

 

<p>

 

Have you been to Bilbao, Spain, or Northern Ireland, maybe the

Balkans, Chechnya, any football stadium in England? I can't even

donate blood anymore (says the Red Cross); I spent more than eight

months in Europe; exposed to the Mad Cow disease. And, there are in

the remote areas I've been to hotels such as you describe, some are

pretty bad.

[jay_.]

Another travel-wise tip: Go to one of those jewelry bazaars and find

about a 2ft length of cheap rope chain (plated, it doesn't matter).

Then buy a velcro-trifold nylon wallet, one with a small loop inside

that is used to pull open the spare-change pocket. Put a small split-

rind through the loop and one end-link of the chain; the other end of

the chain gets a safety pin. Pull one of your *front* trouser

pockets inside-out and make a little "accordion" from the fabric at

the bottom of the pocket, stick the safety pin through it (so it goes

through several times). This is a variation of the Biker Wallet,

except that it doesn't stick out of your pocket.

[david11]

Don, I had all of my luggage stolen from my rental auto (hatchback)in

Milano last year. I am a large guy and finding suitable replacement

clothes in Northern Italy was IMPOSSIBLE. My wife was devastated by

the loss of her outfits and accessories. No camera equipment was

stolen. I did not have any problems with pick pockets, but was on the

lookout. Theft is quite a problem in Italy. Be especially aware of

packing valuables in suitcases; several travelers that we met had

their suitcases pilfered at the airport. Places of high tourist

traffic are the areas of primary concern.

[Robin Smith]

I agree with Jeff Spirer here, most of you lot seem to imagine you are

going to a war zone and dress and act accordingly - no wonder you are

a target. Just take sensible precautions as you would visitng any

large city in the US and be OK. Most European cities are less

dangerous than in the US. Thieves are in all countries. Italy just has

a lot of obvious and perhaps rather stupid tourists making the picking

better for those thieves that do exist.

[david11]

I adamantly disagree with Robin's post. I travel all over North

America in my professional career and have travelled in many

major cities throughout the world. I would never be characterized as

a "stupid tourist" and take great umbrage at the assertion. Italy IS

a troublespot despite the dismissal by several posters on this forum.

[tom5]

I agree that Italy can be a problem spot. But, I think the potential

for problems can be limited. The large cities in Italy seem to have a

LOT of car break-ins. I've driven extensively in N. Italy and had

absolutely no problems but I've never driven a car into Milan or

especially into Rome. My mode of travel often involves a rental car

but I usually leave at a hotel outside major cities, much because I

don't care to fight the traffic in large, unfamiliar cities.

 

<p>

 

Or, I carefully get myself and luggage to a city hotel, avoiding the

most crowded public transportation.

 

<p>

 

Then, in the city, I'm free of luggage and can pay attention to my

surroundings more carefully.

 

<p>

 

Even with that, as I posted previously, my wife did have her waist

pocket picked in Rome. But, that was the result of us not following

our own rules.

 

<p>

 

One more thing - I have heard of problems with baggage at Malpensa

airport in Milan. I didn't have any such difficulties on my trip a

couple of weeks ago, but checked bags connecting through Malpensa were

plastic wrapped for security and contained no valuables other than my

custom made mountain boots.

[margaret]

Watch out for your credit card while paying for things. DON'T let it

out of your sight. Copies of the number and any magnet information on

the strip are easily made, and a counterfeit card issued quite

quickly. This happened to us last summer/fall, and we still don't

know when or where it was done.

[Niels - NHSN]

Don, <P>

Just make sure to bring your brain. <p>I worked as a night

receptionist in a Copenhagen hotel for several years during my

studies, and you'd be surprised how tourists seem to have forgotten

that very important part of themself when they left their home

country: Leaving passports and other valuables in the cars at night,

walking 10 meters away from their luggage while pointing all their

attention at me to make sure I don't misuse their creditcard. Leaving

the hotel room unlocked. Leaving thier bags at the breakfast table

while going to the buffet. I can't imagine that the IQ of our guest

was lower than the average, I think something happens to people when

they travel, and thieves knows that.<p>Bring your common sense, your

Leica and enjoy your trip (I have traveled extensively in wonderful

Italy and never had any problems).

[popeye_cahn]

I thought it was "Police and Thieves"...

[kgb4]

i going with beeting people with a trypod (joking of corse ) and i have decied to by a m3 just for pertetion becuse i do not think my K1000 and my Nikon N2000 would hold up for the chalonge lol

[ciofalo]

I stumbled on this old thread by sheer chance and I couldn't believe my eyes. The amount of bullshit profused here is really amazing. In some answers Italy and Europe in general are described as though they were semi-barbarous countries, and Sicily is even defined "the pretty wild island of Sicily". The funny thing is that most of the concern comes from people travelling to Europe from the United States. May I just remind them that the rates of crime in the USA are by far and large higher than in Europe (including my "wild" Sicily)?