I was reluctant to post about this as I don't like to say anything negative about Tuscany , but I think we need to be reminded now and then that the unexpected can happen anywhere....

We had a theft from our farmhouse in June. We have been renting the same farmhouse for five years, nothing has ever happened before, and I don't really expect that it will again, but I will be a little more diligent about security in the future.

The house is down a private driveway on the outskirts of a village. On this day there were five cars in the driveway, close to the house, and 15 people in different parts of the house. Mid afternoon, broad daylight. Someone came in through one of the unlocked front doors, grabbed a purse that was on the fireplace hearth right inside the door, and left without anyone seeing them!

The police told us that there was a recent wave of this type of thievery - usually it's two women. They walk right into your house. If they meet someone they say they are looking for so and so, and then leave. Sometimes they appear to be selling kitchen wares or something else. Apparently someone waits in the driveway or closeby with a car for the getaway.

We have always been very careful about closing windows and shutters and locking doors when we leave for the day, but this is something I hadn't thought about. Of course they want you to be there - that's when all the good stuff is there to take ! They mostly are after the money and sometimes you can find the other things scattered along the road somewhere. We looked, but no luck.

This knowledge shouldn't make you fearful, but I thought you'd want to know so that you could be more careful of your belongings during the day....more aware. We know that they are harmless people and that no one will be hurt.

It was devastating to the woman who's purse was taken, not to mention a huge time-waster to get things taken care of - filing a police report, cancelling credit cards, going to Florence for a temporary passport (always carry a COPY of your passport in your purse, not the real thing). She was most upset about losing her camera and all the pictures she had taken. But there's a small miracle here...

Two weeks later, a man in a nearby village walked out his front door and spied a memory card in his grass. He looked at the pictures, saw a bunch of women having a great time, recognized the restaurant in the pictures and called Roberto (the owner) to see if he knew anything about it. Roberto knew about the missing purse and the lost camera and emailed me about the found memory card! So at least some great memories will be returned.

We are returning to the same farmhouse in seven short weeks and this has not changed how we feel in any way. We can't wait! This time we'll keep the doors on the front of the house locked most of the time, and leave the kitchen door unlocked where we come and go most often anyway. A minor change for us. The owner of the house is going to install a safe for next year - a good idea.

Even in paradise the real world sneaks in every now and then....

Gail

Gail,
Thanks for taking the time to make us more aware of security at vacation rentals. The owner installing a safe is a great solution to ease everyone's mind on your return trips.

The amazing and wonderful part of your story is about the terrific man who found the memory card, and tracked down the restaurant owner, who then contacted you! What a happy surprise to get back her pictures! Another reminder that even when something stressful happens, most people are honest and kind, and will go out of their way to help a stranger!

Several years ago, a friend of a friend was traveling in France, and her purse was stolen. She was able to replace her passport, and had little cash, but was very upset about losing her address book. ONE YEAR LATER, the address book was mailed to her mother, in the U.S., who was listed in the address book as "Mom".

In the last 35 yrs that I have been going to my home in a tiny supposedly safe village in the mountains of Tuscany, I have always been careful with my valuables . I was told by my family and friends there to beware of thieves that come into the village ( usually women w/children) selling housewares . This does appear to happen in the warmer summer months.It happened to my cousin right across the way last year as she worked in her yard. I think we sometimes feel this false sense of security when we are there and let our guard down but we need to be vigilent instead. Go have fun but be careful!

On my very first trip to Italy back in 1991, we visited my family in Prio (a tiny mountain village in the Dolomiti in the Val di Non, Trentino Region).

We noticed that each and every one of them, on entering and leaving their very lovely, almost luxurious and rather remotely located homes, would make sure that they locked their doors securely - every single time.

When we asked them, they said that there have been thefts and break-ins and that there are a lot of itinerants so they are all very careful, all the time.

Gail,
Thanks for posting this reminder. I lock my "stuff" up when I leave a rental for the day, but am fairly careless about my belongings when I'm present.

I'm sorry to hear an experience like this had to be dealt with, but am happy that your friend at least got her photos back! That was a lovely story about "the kindness of strangers."

quote:

This time we'll keep the doors on the front of the house locked most of the time,

This is also good practice in our own homes. Apparently many break-ins occur when the residents are either in the back yard, or in the family room watching television.

Actually the point is they aren't technically break-ins - the thieves simply walk in through an unlocked front door.

That was a truly heart-warming story about the memory card return, and the address book! There are good people around!