Gail Thwarted a Pickpocket

A funny thing happened  on the way to Monterosso.  While boarding the train, I noticed two girls whose behavior led me to believe they were up to no good.  One of them insisted on getting right behind Katie.   I am sure they bypassed me because they recognized the travel safe purse I had purchased at the suggestion of the travel warnings. They knew it was useless to try to pick my fortress of a  purse.   This is the same purse that Katie has been laughing at since I purchased it. Katie, on the other hand, has a purse that I am sure was designed by a pick pocket, in order to make their job easier.   Anyway, I continued to observe the girls waiting for them to make their move. As soon as they did, I screamed “Katie  look out”.  The girl quickly pulled her hand back and showed me it was empty, and both girls ran off.  On our next train Katie and I both spotted two girls that we felt were there to pick the pockets and/or purses of the unsuspecting crowd of travelers.  I held my purse tight as the girls and I glared at each other, letting them know thatr I knew what they were up to.

Once again, the travel warnings that I spent hours researching, has paid off. 

I am sure the girls were better pickpockets than they appeared. However, I had been looking for a pickpocket since we landed so they were no match for my keen observation skills. I can now cross
“catching a pickpocket”  off my list of things to do in Italy. I wasn’t the only one that had

successful day.  Katie finally got to order a pizza with “no pomodoro" Life is good in Italy.