Robbed in Italy: 7 Lessons
How a stroke of bad luck turned into a profit
When I was in college, I studied abroad in Florence, Italy. At the end of my semester, I backpacked Europe with my roommate. Our last stop would be Greece, where I would spend time with my Greek family. We had to catch a ferry from Bari, Italy to Athens.
While in Venice, I purchased gold charms with Murano glass for my family in America and silver charms with Murano glass for my family in Greece. I had carried the jewelry all through Europe. When I imagined the smiles on my sisters’ faces, my stomach filled with tiny, champagne bubbles. I looked forward to presenting the gifts I had so carefully picked out.
Bari, Italy
Bari is a prominent seaport in Italy. Upon arrival, we found a sketchy, little hotel to sleep at. The next morning, we left our bags at the hotel but took our valuables. Their security seemed lacking.
The night before, I tossed and turned all night after a disturbing conversation. My eyes were bloodshot, and my muscles ached. My feet moved at the speed of a tortoise, and my brain was filled with fog. Despite all that, off we went to explore this little town before heading to Greece.
I like to wander. When we ventured through Bari, of course, I had to suggest the little alleyway with the cobblestone streets. The architecture was very inviting. The mush in my head clouded my thinking.
Into the deserted alley, we went, oblivious to the deafening stillness within. Out of nowhere, a young man appeared. His face was dirty and stern. A shiver ran up my spine, and I clutched my backpack closer to me. My roommate was a step ahead, and she turned to warn me. She also felt the creepiness oozing off of his skin.
As the sun was throwing heat bombs at us, I had removed my sweatshirt and tied it around my waist. My fanny pack was exposed. As I had backpacked through several European cities with all my valuables in my fanny pack, safely, I did not give it a second thought. My mind went to protecting the camera in my backpack.
Until the young man was within inches of my face, his cold eyes staring through mine. Within a second, he was running, and I knew my mistake. He had cut the fanny pack I had pinned to my body and yanked it off of me. Inside, were the Murano charms, my last bit of cash, my passport, train ticket, plane ticket, credit cards, and anything else of value. Between the jewelry and cash, I lost around $800 in less than a second.
At first, I turned to chase him. But, he already had a head start on me and a knife. We exited the alley and headed back to the main street. My college roommate, Shireen, was scooped up by a few locals. She hopped on the back of their motorbike to go look for my fanny pack. A few other locals guided me to the police station, where I filed a police report.
By the time I arrived at the police station, my lack of sleep had kicked in full force. My mind drifted to my near-empty bank account. As I had been on a train for a few days straight, getting in touch with my parents for a cash refill had been a challenge. I spent about $60 making phone calls to the States.
Luckily, my parents would set up a wire transfer. The drawback was that I had to wait for the bank to open. The police were concerned about the long-distance calls, but I explained I used my calling card.
I then worried about not having a passport. The police assured me they could print something up for me. In my mind, this did not solve my problem. I had been born in Greece. What if I got detained for not having a real passport? The fear of not being able to return home burned my skin. The dam burst.
About that time, Shireen showed up at the police station with my fanny pack. The $800 in charms and money were gone. My passport, train ticket, plane ticket, and credit cards were returned to me. A sense of relief should have washed over me. But, it didn’t.
When that dam had broken, I could not stop the water from flowing. I tried to explain my distress, in four languages — Italian, English, Greek, and Spanish. My mind was so frazzled that my tongue twisted my words in the wrong direction. I could no longer communicate.
The cops did not know what to do with me. They went to their drawer and removed a stash of cash. Into my hand, they planted about $120 to get me from Italy to Greece. They explained, “Tourists get robbed here, often. We have a few dollars set aside for that reason.” Shireen also had enough money to cover me, if needed. I could pay her back when we arrived in Greece as my bank account would be replenished.
Looking back, I bet those cops were in on it. There is no way they had hundreds of dollars available for tourists who got robbed! Lucky for me, my tears pulled at their heartstrings.
I knew financially I could last on the $120, and I had my passport in hand. The thing that tore my heart to pieces was the lost jewelry. Now, I would go to Greece and home empty-handed. It took me several months to decide on the perfect gifts, only to watch them be taken within a flash. My bubble had burst, and I felt deflated.
Since I had a police report, my credit cards refunded my purchases. As I had spent a significant amount of money in one shot, I received a tax break. A few months later, I walked away from the ordeal with a $30 profit. Luck had shone down on me.
Reflection
Although getting robbed was an unpleasant experience, I came out stronger. Here are a few things to consider:
- When traveling abroad, always be aware of your surroundings. Be alert. If something feels off, it probably is. Trust your gut.
- Stay away from deserted alleys! If you happen to venture off into a sketchy area, make sure all your valuables are concealed.
- Get a good night’s sleep. Going to bed stressed is not smart. Especially, when you may have to make snap decisions regarding your safety.
- Sometimes you can turn around a bad situation. So, try to stay positive.
- Always be prepared. By using my credit cards and filing a police report, I was able to get a refund on the charms.
- Look for help from friendly locals, and be real. Sometimes, showing your soft side will make people want to assist you.
- Understand the possible dangers. Italy is famous for gypsies robbing tourists. If a group of gypsies approaches you, look them in the eye, and say “No.” Additionally, many overnight train chambers, in Europe, have been gassed in the middle of the night. In the morning, unsuspecting tourists realize all their valuables are missing. Plan accordingly.
Travel is an amazing experience. Despite the hiccups, enjoy the ride. We learn from our bumps, and sometimes they end up being our most interesting adventures. Happy traveling!
