The summer holidays may be over but crime never sleeps.

If you’re heading over to Europe anytime soon then it will pay to be aware of the countries in which you’re most likely to get your valuables stolen by pickpockets. 

Research from insurance experts at quotezone has revealed which countries have the highest rates of pocket pilfering criminals – and the number one is a surprise.

The index ranks the most popular European holiday destinations by the proportion of pickpocketing mentions in visitor reviews of each country’s top five tourist attractions, reports the Mirror.

Coming in first in Italy with visitors to Italy’s Colosseum, Trevi Fountain and Pantheon in Rome as well as the Duomo di Milano in Milan and the Gallerie Degli Uffizi in Florence mentioning the highest volume of stolen personal items on online travel reviews.

They equated to 478 pickpocketing mentions for every million British visitors.

Coming in second is France. This is the second most-visited country by British tourists and has the second highest number of pickpocketing mentions as well – all in Paris.

Spain ranked third on the pickpocketing index, with Las Ramblas being the worst of the five tourist spots for stolen items.

Greg Wilson, founder and CEO of Quotezone.co.uk, said: “Iconic attractions like the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Trevi Fountain in Rome are particularly popular with pickpockets as they can move more inconspicuously amongst larger crowds.

“Many holidaymakers are unaware that some of the most popular destinations for Brits have some of the highest incidents of pickpocketing in Europe.”

He recommends staying aware of your surroundings at all times and taking steps to protect your valuables.

“It is essential always to remain vigilant, leave valuables, like expensive jewellery, in a safe in the hotel and always travel with a secure cross-body bag with zips to secure phones and wallets or even a money belt.”