Page 72 - The Rough Guide of Sicily

Crime and personal safety

Although Sicily is synonymous with the Mafia, you’ll forget the association as soon as
you set foot on the island. Cosa Nostra is as invisible to the average tourist as it is
ingrained for the islanders, and the violence that sporadically erupts is almost always
an “in-house” affair. Of more immediate concern is petty crime, mainly in crowded
streets or markets, where gangs of scippatori, or bag-snatchers, strike on foot or on

scooters, disappearing before you’ve had time to react. As well as handbags, they
whip wallets, tear off visible jewellery and, if they’re really adroit, unstrap watches.
Carry shoulder bags, as you’ll see many Sicilian women do, slung across your body.
It’s a good idea, too, to entrust most of your money and valuables to hotel safes or
management. The vast majority of petty crimes occur in Catania and Palermo, and at or
on the way to and from the airports. On the whole it’s common sense to avoid badly lit
areas at night, and run-down inner-city areas at all times.

If the worst happens, you’ll be forced to have some dealings with the police. Most
conspicuous are the Carabinieri – the ones with the blue uniforms – who are a branch
of the armed forces and organized along military lines, dealing with general crime and
public disorder. They are also the butt of most of the jokes about the police, usually on
the “How many Carabinieri does it take to…?” level. They share a fierce turf rivalry
with the Polizia Statale, or state police, to whom you’re supposed to report any theft

at their local HQ, the Questura. The Polizia Urbana, or town police, are mainly
concerned with directing the traffic and punishing parking offenders. The Guardia di
Finanza, often heavily armed and screaming ostentatiously through the cities, are
responsible for investigating smuggling, tax evasion and other similar crimes, and the

Polizia Stradale patrol the autostrada.

EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS

Police (Carabinieri) 112

Emergency services (Soccorso Pubblico di Emergenze) 113

Fire brigade (Vigili del Fuoco) 115

Road assistance (Soccorso Stradale) 116

Electricity

The supply is 220V, though anything requiring 240V will work. Plugs have two or
three round pins (and some sockets have larger holes than others); a travel adaptor

plug is very useful.