First Day In Rome: A Pickpocket Incident – OpEd
Yesterday, on Sunday, March 23, 2025, we arrived at Rome Fiumicino Airport on Pegasus flight PC 1223 from Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen. Passport control was quick. After collecting our luggage, we took the Leonardo Express train to Termini Central Station. The ticket cost €14 per person, and the journey took about 20 minutes.
Upon arriving at Termini, we headed towards the metro. As we were going down the escalator, two young girls bumped into us while pretending to help with our luggage. At that moment, we didn’t think much of it, but seconds later, my spouse realized that her wallet had been stolen. We immediately went to the police station inside the station.
Outside, there were already five other people in the same situation—victims of pickpockets who had lost their money, passports, bank cards, and IDs. As time passed, more unfortunate travelers joined the crowd. The police officers were indifferent, and we waited for a long time. After about three hours, we asked an officer when they would take our report. His response was disappointing: “We have work to do inside, we are dealing with three suspects, you may have to wait at least another three hours.”
We then went to the nearby Carabinieri (gendarmerie) station, but we encountered the same lack of interest. Our stolen wallet contained credit cards, some cash, and an ID card. Realizing that filing a complaint would be a long and futile process, we decided to leave. In the meantime, we accessed our bank online and canceled the credit cards. Hopefully, getting replacements once we return will be easy.
Despite this unfortunate incident, we decided to continue our trip. We took the metro and arrived at our hotel. Tomorrow, we plan to visit the Vatican and pass through the Porta Santa (Holy Door). The city is overflowing with Catholic pilgrims, as the 25th Jubilee Year has made Rome exceptionally busy. Hopefully, the rest of our journey will be smoother.
For those traveling to Rome—stay alert! Pickpockets are extremely active here!
