Mandragora

The Florence duomo is unmissable but the Mandragora gift shop in the lower ground floor of the Duomo is a prime place for thieves and skilled professional pickpockets.
It has crowds moving through confined spaces with people inevitably pressing against each other and getting in each other’s way. Unlike the Uffizi it has free anonymous entry. And it seems to have no CCTV or police presence inside.
My partner realised too late that her money bag had been skilfully stolen from inside her shoulder bag. The male thief — she later worked out who it must have been, but of course he’d gone — had a female accomplice who stuck in front and obstructed the flow of people on the steps from the downstairs gift shop. This kept my partner stationery for long enough for the thief to get inside the outer bag without drawing attention. The woman accomplice was careful not to show her face. Both were of vaguely southern european appearance but totally ordinary. Unlike the street beggars outside, they looked just like tourists.
We tried to report the crime to the duomo security guards but they weren’t interested, they directed us to a police car outside, who in turn directed us to the carabinieri office near the Uffizi. I assume the duomo guards are just there to ensure people don’t shout or make a nuisance of themselves in the cathedral, as opposed to quietly committing crimes that don’t involve disturbance.
Why are there no security guards in the gift shop or at least a police presence inside the Duomo?

Petite boutique souvenirs a l intérieur du dôme. Livres, chapelets, icônes.