Rome is notorious for its pickpocketing but you'd think there would be some safety at least inside the holy site of the Vatican. Not so, as tour guides complain that as crime rises in the city, with muggings up 24%, tourists are increasingly being targeted by thieves lurking within the hallowed walls of this historical and religious icon. There's even speculation that while the tourists are gazing up at the frescoes of Michelangelo on the ceilings of the Sistine Chapel, it makes them more vulnerable and appealing marks.
Is nothing sacred? Pickpockets target Vatican tourists
Rome is notorious for its pickpocketing but you'd think there would be some safety at least inside the holy site of the Vatican. Not so, as tour guides complain that as crime rises in the city, with muggings up 24%, tourists are increasingly being targeted by thieves lurking within the hallowed walls of this historical and religious icon. There's even speculation that while the tourists are gazing