Barcelona pick pockets???
 

I'm going to Barcelona for a few days in August and people keep telling me how bad the pick pockets are.
Is it really that bad or are they just jealous???

It's more a case of people being bad at taking common sense measures like not putting the wallet in the back pocket, not slinging the purse, shoulder bag, camera over one shoulder, not putting valuables in a day pack, not putting bags on the floor etc etc

take only what you absolutely need for the day. DH had his backpack stolen in the airport security line at 6am when he set it ON THE TABLE just before the belt to remove his jacket. had to be an inside job but the fallout was very bad. don't use an ATM without having someone you trust stand behind you and watch, etc.

2. What is going to surprise me about Barcelona (positive or negative)?
137 responses; most recent on 06/27/2007, 04:37 pm

this thread contains many first-hand reports on Barcelona crime - including, rare for Europe, muggings. Crime is rampant against tourists so do take precautions

We loved Barcelona and will return, however it does seem to have a problem with street crime. Both our hotel and the staff in restaurants warned us about pickpocketing and purse snatching when we arrived. They covered our belongings with a linen cloth in a very nice restaurant so I guess it is a real problem. We thwarted an attempted pickpocketing in the metro by hitting the thief's hand with a map and they ran. Be alert.

Thanks to you all,will keep all the advice in mind.

I've been to Barcelona a few times, and I really, really like it. Once, however, a local walked up to me, said something in Spanish, and then started brushing my back. I realized what he was doing, so I brushed him off. My wallet was actually safe in a pouch beneath my shirt, but there was ice cream on my back above my pants pocket....that apparently is a common thing to do. Pickpockets will throw food on you and then make out like they are trying to help you by brushing the food off and in the process, try to steal your wallet. Just be aware...be careful...put wallets, passports, etc in a pouch under your shirt, etc.

WE just got back from Barcelona and we would go out at night just to sight see the scam artists and pickpockets. We would go out empty pocketed for these occasions. The police would make "arrests" and the scammers would be back in the same place the very next night. I think the cops would do whatever just to make the tourists feel better. It all seemed so well rehearsed. It was all very interesting.

thereyet

One scam we watched involved a shelll game with one shell guy and four or five shills "playing" the game. They would atrrack a crowd of watchers while their buddies would press in at the back of the crowd to "see" but were picking pockets in the jostle. Keep an arms distance in such a scene.

thereyet

I adore Barcelona and would return again, but several incidents during my 2007 three day visit confirmed how rife street crime is in that city.

Sitting in our tour bus waiting for the driver we all observed a thief going from tourists' pocket to backpack - at least five in the fifteen minutes we sat there. Our tour guide was sanguine about this, but one fellow tourist photographed the thief and handed the picture to the police, who just said "oh we know him!"

Second incident saw my companion jostled in the crowd and her locked bag knicked with a razor blade- nothing taken as she instantly turned around and caught a very innocent looking "tourist' carrying a map.

Last but certainly most worrying was one evening watching the street cleaners empying the street rubbish containers just off Los Ramblos. The bins were full of empty wallets, bags and purses. Just another day in pickpocket heaven!

That said, normal precautions hold true for me - I only take the money I estimate I'll need for the day, my husband and I have different credit cards, we leave our passports and airline tickets in the hotel RECEPTION safe, and I always carry my bag close to me. In many years of travel I'm glad to say I've been safe. And even after observing what is certainly a serious problem (even the police admitted this) I'd go back to Barcelona in a heart beat!

In Barcelona, the wife of someone I knew had her shoulder bag snatched by someone on a motorcycle and he was far away in no time. Another woman held onto her bag and lost a lot of skin on her arm as she was dragged along behind the motorbike.

There are also plenty of thieves on the Barcelona metro and I had a member of a gang try to pick my pocket on one of their trains.

It is unfortunate that anywhere, local police really do not give a damn about us tourists. We are there for a day or a week and then we are gone so we are not worth their efforts as far as they are concerned.

Hi

There is even a website devoted to the street scams - http://jones.tc/barna/scams.html. But seriously we didn't have any trouble although admittedly we were only there one day.

I don't doubt any of the above stories. Nor do I doubt any of the many, many stories about street crime in Madrid, there's a long thread here called "mugged in Maddrid" if you want some horror stories. BUT

I just got back a few days ago from two weeks in central Spain, including Madrid and I have now spent about a month, in three seperate trips to various parts of Spain (in the last two years), including Barcelona and I felt PERFECTLY SAFE everywhere I went, including evening (not after midnight). I just don't want people reading a few stories and thinking that it's a virtual pickpocket war zone. It's not, it's a normal, beautiful place with a few incidents of street crime. So is anywhere. It might be 1 or 2 percent higher in Spain than some other place, but it doesn't make it dangerous. There's probably just as many stories about pickpockets in the Paris metro,

However, I don't go anywhere - Barcelona, or Paris or Tuscany or Stockholm - anywhere - without putting my passport, extra credit cards, ATM cards and cash other than the days supply in an under the clothes security pouch.

If the problem is as bad as reported here and aimed mainly at tourists then perhaps it's time for a tourist boycott to elicit some action from the local authorities. How anyone can watch criminal activities as some kind of a sport is beyond me. If these reports persist on this scale Barcelona will be dropped from my 2009 itinerary - a pity since, among other things, I was looking forward to going to Montjuit park to renew my acquaintance with a particular statue which quite impressed me on my only visit, in 1978.

You guys are the best, all this advice is worth it's weight in gold. Im looking forward to my couple of days in Barcelona, but can anyone tell me where to get a good money belt or the like?

any sporting goods store; online check www.budgeteuropetravel.com or Magellans or TravelSmith, etc.

Thanks PalenQ

We came, we saw, had planned on spending two days but left after one. I agree totally with farrermog - until the authorities take the crime situation seriously, a tourist boycott is the answer. Have been to lots of major cities in the world and have never experienced the paranoia that surrounds you in Barcelona. That kind of paranoia can only be generated by a bad situation that is not getting any better. After we left we heard there are an average of 1500 thefts per day. That is more than a case of people not taking the right precautions. There are too many other beautiful cities to visit without having to look over your shoulder wondering.

valleyk writes: "I'm going to Barcelona for a few days in August and people keep telling me how bad the pick pockets are.
Is it really that bad or are they just jealous???"

Yes, it's really bad: but many of the pickpockets are young, inexperienced gypsy kids who use old pickpocketing techniques that an experienced traveler should ba able to spot and take action as necessary. In cases like this, don't expect any support from the local police; one must resolve the situation oneself, there and then!

In cities like Rome or even Madrid the pickpockets are more sophisticated and their techniques are more refined. In Santiago de Compostela a young man with a small child tried to jostle me: he pretended to be doing something for the child when I felt / heard the velcro closure on my carge shorts being opened. I dealt him a blow in the head with my heavy SLR Camera case

thanks Nedsireland, being a martial arts instructor, that sounds like fun :-)

valleyk:

stay away from gypsies. They almost stole my husband's wallet. Also, a friend of mine had hers stolen while she was paying for a coffe pot at a little shop. There is nothing really scary though. Just exercise common sense with your belongings. My husband and I walked through a dark park on Montjuic late at night after a Flamenco show. We shouldn't have. Fortunately, nothing happened but it was a stupid thing to do, we realized later.

Otherwise, Barcelona is one of the most pleasant cities I have ever been to. You will love it!

Too bad I found this thread so late, but I'll reply anyway. To valleyk's original comment, "people keep telling me how bad the pickpockets are"... they are not bad -- they are expert! But first, as everyone else mentioned, Barcelona is one of the most fun and charming cities on earth to visit -- take it from one who travels 250+ days/year. It just might be my favorite city. All the posters' tips were good -- there are lots more on my site. See www.bobarno.com/bata.htm. Tons more to come in a couple of weeks when our all-new site goes up.

Gina_07 said "stay away from gypsies." For most visitors, gypsies will be difficult to identify. They dress modern now (though their taste is questionable!) so you need to know their M.O.s. BUT: believe it or not, gypsies are no longer the main perps. They may make up about a third of the pickpockets in Barcelona. Another third come from North Africa, and the remainder come from East Europe and South America. The South American thieves in particular practice what we call the "pigeon poop ploy." Hundreds of scams are documented and photographed in my book, "Travel Advisory: How to Avoid Thefts, Cons, and Street Scams While Traveling."

Go to Barcelona -- you'll love it. Just stow your stuff safely.

valleyk writes: "thanks Nedsireland, being a martial arts instructor, that sounds like fun"

Don't get carried away! You don't want to hurt those people, just do enough to discourage them.

Barcelona: Several years ago, my son and I were heading for the exit at Maria Cristina Metro station. We were about 10m apart: two Gypsies began a classic 'pincer' movement on me. When one came up on my left, I swung around clockwise with my arm raised. As I hit the second gypsy with a 'chop' in the throat, I called to my 6'2" 185 pound son. The Gypsies took off running!

I'm not into Martial arts: it was just an almost spontaneous reaction.

Nedsireland, maybe you should be into martial arts, but are you sure I can't hurt them? if only a bit?;-)
Thiefhunter, It's not late I'm not going for a couple of weeks and thanks for the site, I'll check it out.

I've been to Barcelona twice--in 1999 and again last spring. Both times I was warned about pickpockets before going. However, I did not feel unsafe and was not pickpocketed. I do wear a money belt and try to be aware of my surroundings. Could I be pickpocketed? Sure. Do I actually know people who have been? Yes (although not in Barcelona).

Barcelona is one of my favorite cities. I love the architecture, the ambiance, the many sights. I would go back again in a minute.

I am probably too late to reply, but I was just in BCN. Saw a man's attache stolen at the airport. A kid tried to steal someone's cell phone at Hard Rock, but was caught.

Watch out for the gypsies.

no, they really are that bad... i had my wallet stolen on the underground in a packed train... had no idea until i got on my connecting train... KEEP YOUR MONEY ON YOUR PERSON, do not keep anything worth saving in a purse... like your passport. On a brighter note, at least there was no violence involved, just watch your stuff in crowded places, I thought i was careful, but as it turns out not careful enough:) But, barcelona is a gorgeus place and do not let this deter you! yu will have a blast there.. make sure you check out a real flamenco show!

My husband and I just returned last night after spending eight days in Barcelona. We opted not to use the tourist bus and simply walked and used the metro. We left our passports, cash and credit cards in the apartment only taking necessessary amounts with us for each outing. I did carry a large shoulder bag (with short handles) and carried it on my front.

Never did we feel uncomfortable or threatened while in Barcelona. We worked very hard to know how to reach our destination before leaving to limit looking at our map. Also, we tried to look as un-touristy as possible and didn't speak english to each other while on the metro.

Barcelona is like any other large city. Just hold on to your bag, be aware of your surroundings. I ventured out on my own daily to the market and had no trouble. On several occasions men would say things to me, but I just kept looking ahead and walking. Nothing more than that ever happened.

Enjoy your trip! If you plan and pay attention you have a great time!