Don:

You bring up an important point to consider while traveling...well, anywhere. But more important when abroad, I think.
Theft of important stuff.

We just spent Christmas in Paris and rode the Metro a lot. I watched one attempt to pick a guy's pocket for his cell-phone, a successful grab by a gang of youths (ok, not 100% successful. He went for her cell-phone and got merely the case.), and one (failed) attempt on my wallet.

My guy failed merely because I had nothing in the pocket he went for...back left aka 'the wallet pocket'. Had I been carrying my wallet? He would have gotten it & I would have been off on a merry chase to try to get it back!

My advice? 1. carry as little as you can when out and about (in cabin or in room safes are a great place to store stuff.) 2. invest the $10 or $20 in one of those under your clothes wallets. There is one that hangs around your neck and under your shirt.... but I have been told by women that it doesn't fit too well for them. There is another that has a loop that goes thru your belt & tucks into your pants. Cheap insurance in my book.

Oh, yeah, I finally followed my own advice on this last trip and had a photocopy of my passport made and stored away from my original. I'm told that a copy will save one HOURS and HOURS should a passport ever be lost or ..... well, you know.

Doug