For the second consecutive year, the leading travel booking and information website TripAdvisor.com has ranked Rome as the second worst city in the world for incidents involving pickpockets. Tripadvisor arrived at this result by obtaining data relating to the amount of times the term "pickpocket" appeared on forums on the company's website over the last 12 months.

TripAdvisor has compiled some streetwise suggestions for tourists. They advise against the wearing of bags and purses over shoulders, and in restaurants, bags should be placed under chair legs as opposed to over chairs. A small amount of cash and only one bank card should be carried around the city; likewise jewellery and passports should be locked in hotel safes.

The only city to fare worse than Rome is Barcelona, which was also awarded the unenviable top prize last year. In a separate survey conducted by the agency in 2009, which polled 1,400 users on the best and worst elements of Europe, Rome was ranked the third dirtiest city on the continent.