Sennaya Ploshchad - safety question

[Renee Stillings | Alinga]

A question to the list - particularly anyone who is now in St. Petersburg or has spent considerable time there recently. 

Apparently some guidebooks are indicating that Sennaya Ploshchad is a particulary dangerous area and that one should be on guard, especially at night. What I am trying to figure out is why this particular area is being singled out. The instances of pickpocketing are definitely up in general in the center, particularly where tourists might roam. Has something else been going on in the Sennaya Ploshchad area making it any different than say Nevsky prospect/Gostiny dvor, or even say Red Square in Moscow? Anything that basic big-city alertness wouldn't prevent?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

Renee

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