Worried About Travel Safety? Avoid the Vatican
March 4th, 2007 Posted in Destination reports, General
Which country in the world has the highest rate of crime per capita? It’s not some third-world country that sounds mysterious and shady. It’s the Vatican.
Yes, the city state ruled over by the Pope and his crew has the worst crime rate per capita. In 2006, they had 341 civil and 486 criminal cases, in a place with a population of 492.
Naturally this is because this strange little country gets a million or so visitors a year, so the population isn’t so relevant. What it does show, however, is that you are as likely to get pickpocketed in Italy–especially in the Vatican–as you are in Bangkok, Bombay, or Cusco. I read an interview with a security consultant one time who said that the most talented pickpockets in the world work the streets of Rome. So just because you’re in an expensive western country, don’t feel you can let your guard down. Have a great time, but keep the valuables tucked away securely under your clothes.
The funny thing about this story is, the Vatican only catches some 10 percent of the criminals and when they do catch them, they don’t have a jail to put them in. They have to send the crooks to an Italian jail and then get billed back for all expenses!
(photo from Pamdora’s Box)
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