suec1

My daughter and I were just in Barcelona where several years ago we were victims on the metro of some very professional pickpockets. A day after our incident we returned to the metro and spent some time sitting and watching these lovely people at work - it was pretty easy to observe their methods and it did not take long for them to appear in the station. After our visit I had read often on these boards of travelers having many problems in the metro with pickpocketing. So on our recent visit we were interested to see if they were still at work. We went into one of the big stations, Catalunya, and sat down to watch. It took a bit but we did see a group that seemed to be getting ready to go to work but then into the tube came a policeman with a very large dog and another man with some swat type gear. The group we had been watching promptly hopped on a train and rode away. So maybe, just maybe, Barcelona is tired of being one of the best known pickpocket cities in the world and has gotten serious about identifying and discouraging these theives. Has anyone on the board had any recent problems or observations?

Oh but on our very first day in Lisbon, we were targeted by a group of ladies who tried to go "fishing" in our backpack. Maybe they recently moved to Lisbon from Barcelona!

P_M

I was there in April and I never felt threatened for a minute. It was my first time in Barcelona so I have no benchmark for comparison, but maybe it is better now.

mmyk72

So the thieves are in Lisbon now? Great

I hope I don't run into them or they into me. Thanks for heads up!! As soon as I see a heard of ladies or kids I'll watch out. I've now rigged up a latch that keeps the zipper closed with a carabiner (a mini version of the mountain climbing type hook with a hinge opening). It's better than nothing and someone who wants to pick my bag will have to cut out the rope or the slash the bag all togther.

Pegontheroad

I was targeted by a not-very-skillful thief on my last visit to Barcelona in April. As I got on the train, I asked this couple if this was the train to Montserrat, but they said they didn't know.

I let that pass, not really wondering why they were on the train if they didn't know the destination. But maybe they weren't going all the way to the end of the line.

I took a window seat on the train and put my purse down beside me, between my leg and the train wall, in contact with my leg all the time. A woman sat opposite me, so that we were knee to knee. After a couple of minutes I felt the straps on my bag move and knew immediately what was up, so I moved it.

Shortly thereafter, the woman and her companion left the train.

This is not the first time we've encountered thieves in Barcelona. In 2006 as my sister and I sat in an outside restaurant in the Boqueria, a very clever thief pretending to be a waiter snagged my sister's purse without her being aware of it until I saw the guy leave the area.

Fortunately, for the first and only time in our 8 years of European traveling, she had given me her debit card and passport to keep in my money belt.

I absolutely recommend wearing a money belt, and keep alert at all times.

BigRuss

Was in Barcelona last year. Had no problems. But I'm larger than the average European and my wallet location is either not easily identifiable or not easily accessible. My backpack is locked; yours should be too.

amer_can

Sound advise..DD had her back pack stolen as she confirmed her train ticket in Geneva @ Christmas..Lap top. phone, all cc, passport etc, etc..Very inconvienent but all came out fine as we had copies of all docs. Then on the metro in Madrid at Easter time when I was standing right beside her she had someone unzip her "new' backpack and lift here IPAD. I never saw a thing nor did she feel anything. She is a seasoned, mature traveller but these bad guys/gals are very slick. LOCK,LOCK,LOCK!!!

Ackislander

A friend lost a very expensive DSLR in Barcelona last week to a bicycle gang: one created a diversion, one grabbed the camera and tossed it to the third, and all three rode away down different streets. Over in less than ten seconds.

But then another friend had a gold necklace pulled off by a bicycle duo on Broad Street in Boston's financial district several years ago. Nothing new under the sun.

BigRuss

Despite the Metro-scowl and the fact that the average Spaniard is smaller than me, I was an easy target in Spain: traveling with small children and her highness whilst bearing a backpack with snacks and supplies and carrying a camera for actually trying to record parts of the trip. If I can retain vigilance in that situation, vigilance in more run of the mill situations should be easier. And I lock my bag. Said that already; bears repeating.

Lisbon is a den of thieves too. The SOBs are brazen there: in my only trip, one friend had his money belt opened and emptied while he was on a local bus and he saw the thief running away off the bus with no one trying to stop the crook. I wandered about either with a small gym bag slung in front of my wallet pocket (my preferred mode of theft-prevention when I was single) or the "try it and you'll regret it" look and no one came close to pilfering from me.

It's easier for a man to give off the air of "don't f--- with me." Even my then 65+ dad could do it when he literally kicked a Barcelona scammer in the rear-end on the Metro to foil a block and snatch attempt (one guy blocks the escalator exit while his partner runs up the outside of it and grabs your wallet, purse, bag, et al.). But looking approachable is an aspect that can be turned on and off . . .

CathyM

I must look very unapproachable as I've never been pickpocketed in all of my trips! I'm just cautious, the same as I would be at home.

I do find it interesting that people would spend time in the metro watching pickpockets at work. Perhaps this should be added to the list of attractions and things to do

suec1

"I do find it interesting that people would spend time in the metro watching pickpockets at work" - well after being victims ourselves we were somewhat compelled to look for the ne'er-do-wells and when we saw them going about their "business" we would shout warnings to their unsuspecting targets. We must be super hero wanna be's. We'd seen most of the Barcelona main attractions anyways but after about half an hour we went back to being tourists more interested in "normal" activities.

WWanderer

I survived Rio for 3 days without extreme measures. Our passports were safely locked in a safe, of course, but we did not carry a money belt or similar. I had one of those little backpack-purses that you can sling around to rest on your chest. And I held onto it tight. Wondering if this will be enough--my husband, usually just carries his cash in his pocket, not in a wallet.

I guess I'll try to persuade him to use a money belt or neck carrier under his shirt when we go to Barcelona next year. I presume it also varies in different neighbourhoods? (BTW, we did okay in Lisbon and other parts of Portugal a few years ago.)

P_M

CathyM, pickpocket watching is free entertainment. I never thought of that before but maybe I'll try it on my next trip.

justineparis

I enjoyed staring at an old man on the metro in Rome, he held a newspaper over his arm the way a waiter holds a towel over his arm,, very suspicious looking,, and he chose to stand hanging on to a pole near a door, even though there were seats,, I stared at him, watching him as his eyes shifted around alot, he saw me looking at him, and kept glancing over ,, I purposefully stared him down,, I absolutely beleive he was waiting for someone to get on the car near him as it it filled, and was going to attempt to pickpocket them( the paper covering his hand at the attempt a very common distraction technique)/

cbr

We were in Spain for two weeks in late December early January and yes there are pickpockets everywhere. We saw some clever ones in smaller cities like Cordoba. Because we had winter coats on with money belts attached we felt somewhat safer, mind you the average Spaniard was dressed very nice- nice pocketbooks, fur coats while we clearly were not. You need to have eyes open at all times, one member of your travelling party should always be aware of your surroundings. While touring Barcelona, which was our first stop, we asked the tour guide to point out the gypsys and we learned a lot for the rest of the trip. We also never had much cash on us as well.

WWanderer

I can quite imagine how violated someone feels when this happens. I think I'll buy myself one of those purses with metal in the strap! And keep our passports inside our clothes!

nini

We were in Barcelona last week and when we checked into our hotel (Hotel Colon) we were given a list of areas/scams to avoid. We had no problems but were cautious-jewelry and pps left in hotel safe, wore a cross body purse, etc. Saw quite a few policemen on Las Ramblas and the only time we were on the metro was the visit to Sagrada Familia. Prior to Barcelona we were in Athens-we took the metro from airport and DH nearly had his luggage snatched away-just cannot let your guard down especially in a crowd.

tarquin

I startled my son and husband last month by shouting "Via vai!" at a woman who approached us in the street. I do hope she was a pickpocket.

amer_can

Amen to the above..Geneva..all things gone @ Xmas in train station..Much inconvenience to replace..Spring break on Metro in Madrid..IPad lifted from back pack..Again UGH. Not an inexperienced traveller either..Keep eyes, hands and feet on all belongings whenever you travel anywhere!!! Carry important docs and cards inside clothes, leave copies at home to access easily via email and still keep on a'trucking. The baddies won't stop us!!!

danon

Like CathyM, I have never been robbed on any of my trips in Europe.
..seven trips to Spain and counting.

Cowboy1968

10th or 11th trip to Barcelona coming up in September, and still not been pickpocketed or robbed.
Riding metro all day and night. Being out in the wee hours in the not sooo good parts of Raval or Poble Sec. Even walking the Rambles - though I find that street getting more on my nerves than scary - or on the city beaches.
This starts to hurt my ego.
If no thug thinks I am worth at least a try, I should take that as an indication that my "urban shabby chic" look is really not an appealing fashion choice.
Or I could write a guide on how to dress in Barcelona to not get pickpocketed.