The official picture first. The State Department rates Italy Level 2, exercise increased caution, in the advisory issued September 10, 2026; the reason given is terrorism, and it adds that petty crime is common in tourist locations and on public transportation. It says most reported thefts happen at crowded tourist sites, on buses, metros and trains and at major stations, at airports, and from parked cars, and that organized groups of pickpockets work the main tourist destinations, train stations, bars and cafes. Its security report describes the methods: one person asks for directions while another lifts the bag, thieves sometimes pose as police officers, and riders on scooters snatch bags from pedestrians.
No official body publishes figures for the Vatican area itself. What follows in this paragraph is community experience, not official data: pilgrims commonly report the crowded 64 bus between Termini and the Vatican, Metro line A to Ottaviano, and the slow security line in St. Peter's Square as the places where pockets are picked, and they describe street sellers along the Vatican walls offering skip-the-line tickets and tours. Hold any offer against the official facts. The basilica says entrance is free and a reservation is optional, made on its own website. The Vatican Museums say the only official site for buying tickets online is their own and warn of look-alike domains that charge much more. The Holy See says tickets for audiences and papal liturgies are always free of charge.
Good habits are simple. Carry your passport, cards and phone in a zipped inside pocket or under your clothing, wear a bag across the front of your body on buses and in lines, and keep phones off cafe tables. Buy bus and metro tickets only from authorized sellers or apps and validate them before boarding, as the State Department advises. If someone claiming to be police asks for your wallet, ask for identification. The emergency number is 112; report a stolen passport to the police and to the U.S. Embassy in Rome.