Tour Bus Ransacked, Violins Stolen in Rome Near Vatican City Highlight Dangers of Travel

ROMA, Italy - June 30, 2022 - PRLog -- A tour bus carrying tens of thousands of dollars worth of musical instruments was broken into outside of Vatican City near St Peter's Basilica in Rome on June 11. 8 violins, 1 viola, and a cello bow were stolen by the thieves in addition to several backpacks containing laptops and other valuables.

The tour bus, operated by Parenti Bus, dropped off the group of young musicians (members of a Nashville, Tennessee, USA based violin studio) at St Peter's Basilica around 10am on June 11. The group returned to the bus just before 3pm, and learned that their belongings had been stolen after they boarded the bus and realized that the instruments and other belongings were not where they'd been left.

Several of the parents of the musicians became suspicious that the driver of the bus had cooperated in the theft of the instruments. As they listened to his explanation and observed his indifference to the crime that occurred because of his negligence, many of the parents accused him of being involved in the heist.

Rome police were unhelpful and disinterested in catching the criminals or recovering the stolen items. Despite having access to trackers that showed where the stolen items were moving, Rome police chose not to pursue the culprits, opting instead to casually discuss the situation with the bus driver and the tour guide.

The owner of Parenti Bus, Mauro Parenti, was notified of the incident as soon as it was discovered. He arrived at the scene of the incident, but made no effort to hold his employee, the bus driver, accountable for what happened. Instead, the driver continued driving the bus for the rest of the day on which the theft occurred as well as the following day, despite his involvement with the crime.

This incident highlights the dangers of touring Rome (and Italy in general), especially with items of significant value. The robbery of the bus and the lack of interest by those who should have been most responsible for keeping tourists safe continues to be a growing concern for tourists considering visiting Rome.

To learn how this theft affected one of the musicians, whose $14,000 violin was stolen, and who is pleading for help having her violin found and returned, go here: https://prosperopedia.com/a-second-chance-redemption-for-...

Classical Movements Musical Tour Company:  https://prosperopedia.com/classical-movements-music-tour-...