Robin Hood activists strike again in Rome.

A group of anonymous activists sabotaged key locks used for short-term rentals on streets around Rome on Wednesday night in a new protest against overtourism.

The protesters used glue and wire cutters to destroy the locks - which provide guests with access to their short-term rental property - before leaving behind 'Robin Hood' stickers.

They focused their blitz - documented in a video by LaPresse - on properties in the districts of Aurelio, Ostiense, Pigneto, Monteverde and Monti.

The activists, who carried out a similar protest in Rome last month, say their vandalisation of key boxes is part of a campaign against an "out-of-control phenomenon" that results in socio-economic inequalities throughout Italy.

In a statement to LaPresse, they noted that "something has started to move" in Rome, following their protest in October, with the city council discussing plans to limit short-term rentals in the historic centre.

However the activists say "this is not enough" as the suburbs are also starting to feel the "inequalities" caused by overtourism, and have called on tourism minister Daniela Santanché to establish a national plan to regulate short-term rentals.

The activists also directed their appeal to the Catholic Church which "delegates almost entirely to the private market the burden of hosting the pilgrims that this city is unable to accommodate".

Pope Francis recently urged the diocese of Rome to respond to Rome's housing crisis, amid rising rental prices ahead of the Vatican's Jubilee Year 2025 when more than 30 million tourists and pilgrims are set to arrive in the Eternal City.

The demand for short-term rentals in the Italian capital has led to a growing trend of landlords turning their properties into tourist accommodation, to the detriment of local residents who have to move or are priced out of the market.

The latest protest against overtourism in Rome comes amid an outcry over a deal allowing short-let property rental firm Airbnb to stage mock gladiator fights in the Colosseum.

Earlier this month Florence unveiled a 10-point plan aimed at tackling overtourism, including a ban on key boxes in the historic centre.

Photo credit: Omri Eliyahu / Shutterstock.com.