Theft on Trains

Robbery on trains happens fairly often, especially in Italy and Eastern Europe, and especially on night trains. Once, when getting off a night train to Naples one morning, I saw five people lined up at the police office to report stolen daypacks. Prevention is the key to this problem:

- Never sleep in a compartment alone if you can avoid it. This goes for both men and women.

- Always lock or chain your backpack to the luggage rack, even during the day, by as many straps as possible. That may be just enough to make a potential thief look for easier prey.

- Thieves prefer daypacks because that’s where the small, easily sold valuables tend to be kept. When sleeping, put your passport, documents, money, and camera in bed with you, and lock your day-pack inside your main bag.