Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes shared what they called a “dramatic” and “hilarious” robbery attempt they experienced on vacation.
The former ABC News and Good Morning America anchors discussed what happened during their trip to Rome, Italy, during their latest Amy and T.J. Podcast.
The couple recently traveled to a scenic city and country and decided to release an exclusive podcast episode about their trip.
Among their stories was recalling how people repeatedly warned them in Rome to watch their belongings.
This was due to pickpocketers being more prevalent in the city, something Robach admitted she never realized “was a threat” during other visits.
They thwarted the robbery attempt and mentioned how Robach may never have realized she was getting robbed if Holmes wasn’t with her.
Robach and Holmes experienced an attempted robbery while visiting Italy
The July 19 episode of Amy and T.J. arrived from Italy during the couple’s vacation and included the robbery attempt they experienced.
Holmes mentioned that in New York, “you have to keep your eye on things,” but it felt like “another level” in Rome as “everyone” they saw kept warning them about it.
“Everywhere we went, the only English they could speak was to say, ‘Watch out for your bag. Be careful about your purse,'” Robach added.
Despite multiple trips to Rome, she never thought it was something to worry about so much, but said they “nearly had an incident” during their latest trip.
Holmes called it “hilarious” and said he felt like the only one with their “head on a swivel” as he was more aware of the people around them.
He said they’d been having dinner outdoors at a restaurant in an “empty space” when he noticed a woman sat extremely close to them.
“She didn’t look like the maitre d’ or the concierge,” Robach mentioned, adding, “She just walked right from the street and sat right next to me.”
However, the former GMA star said she didn’t initially notice the woman because her “situational awareness” was not on the same level as Holmes’. She admitted her guard is probably more down as she’s felt safer when Holmes is with her during outings.
Holmes and Robach said the woman’s robbery attempt had a ‘dramatic’ ending
Holmes mentioned that there were “so many options” for where the woman could’ve sat that it made “no sense” for her to be right next to Robach, who also had the couple’s jacket, purse, and bag nearby.
According to Holmes, the woman attempted to position her leg and foot under their table, trying to slide Robach’s purse or bag over her way and take the items.
While Robach ordered from their waiter, Holmes said he kept watching the woman from the corner of his eye and found it “hilarious” that he knew what she was up to.
Holmes said he explained the situation to Robach, and the woman may have understood enough English to realize she was “outed” in her attempt to take their stuff.
They indicated that before leaving the scene, the woman started “banging things around,” including a few nearby tables as if she was upset they had figured her out.
“It was really funny. It was dramatic,” Robach said of the incident in Italy.
The couple also shared that they planned to return to the restaurant again despite the near robbery attempt because they enjoyed the food.