How dangerous/safe is Brussels?
 

Hello,

My wife and I will be heading to Brussels in a few weeks. She's been reading mugging horror stories online, and is a little apprehensive. I told her that it is no more dangerous than any other large city, we just need to use common sense, and watch out for pickpockets. She doesn't want to wear her diamond engagement ring. Is this overkill? Any other advice you seasoned travelers can offer?
Thanks guys!

Yes there are some areas in Brussels you wouldn't want to walk alone after dark (buddy got mugged last yr) as you say just like any major city. That having been said, the touristy places (Grand Place, Place Rogier, etc) are fine ... that's their bread and butter.
I wouldn't wear my Rolex though.
It's a fine city otherwise in a confused country.

Plenty of Belgian women wear their bling everywhere, so don't worry about all about the diamond ring.

That said, a few areas I would avoid include: around the Gare du Midi and Gare du Nord at night, the Hotel des Monnaies metro stop after 7 pm or so (this place can be truly spooky, it's VERY deep, it's unmanned in the evenings, it doesn't connect with other metro or tram lines and we have seen large blood stains on the stairs there more than once), parts of St. Josse (although I can't imagine you'd be there anyway).

But being a victim of crime doesn't mean you lack common sense--watch that "blame the victim" attitude. A drunk road rager pulled a gun on us and tried to shoot my husband at point blank range just because we had dared to cross the street in the pedestrian zone when we were supposed to. Fortunately, the road rager was too drunk to realize his gun wasn't loaded. And I was mugged near the well-lit Hilton Hotel early in the evening by three young men on a crime spree (they attacked 9 people in one week, including an elderly couple and a woman who was 7 months pregnant). But those are unusual events and could have happened in any big city.

The rate of crime is high in Brussels. It does not really matter what area you are in - things can happen. I was held up with a machete to my throat on the main fancy shopping street.

I've been mugged/attempted car jacking/ victim of identity theft/ grabbed on the breast/buttock/ you name it.

I live here.

I don't drive at night and I don't walk anywhere at night on my own. I'm a woman, but I am 6ft tall and well built and fit and generally unfrightenable. However, I take a wary approach to life here in Brussels.

There have been a few news stories in Belgium lately (based on some recent survey) stating that Brussels is actually safer than many other large capital cities, and that local residents have the impression that it is more dangerous than it actually is. (I had a look to see if I could find a link to any of these articles online, but can't remember where I read them!)

Unlike Lawchick or BTilke, nothing has ever happened to me here and the accounts of friends or acquaintances being mugged seem no more or less frequent than in other European cities I've lived in (in the UK, France and Spain). I had a lot more frightening experiences living in Paris, for example.

That said, of course it pays to take sensible precautions (I too would avoid the areas BTilke mentioned), be careful with your belongings in crowded areas/on public transport, know where you are going and avoid walking alone in deserted areas or late at night.

The one type of crime that does seem particularly prevalent here is car windows being smashed by petty thieves. If you do have a car here, when parked, do not leave ANYTHING visible on the seats or dash board or in the boot.

P.S. I wear my diamond engagement ring here and wouldn't dream of removing it!

I felt fine walking alone at night around the Tenbosch area of Ixelles and the Thielmans and other parts of Woluwe St. Pierre. And from Merode down to the rue Noyer.

But we lived for years at the edge of St. Gilles and I did NOT feel safe there at night. Taking the dog out for her last, late night pee was always a hurried affair unless my husband was with me.

I too would never think of walking around without my wedding ring.

I've stayed in Brussels several times over the last few years (solo trip and I'm a female). I never felt unsafe in the main "touristy" area. I felt safer there than some other European cities (like Florence, Rome).

Having said that, I never wear my engagement ring on my European trips. I do wear my wedding band. But that's not because I was worried about being robbed/mugged for the ring, but more because I didn't want to forget the ring at a hotel.

If you are interested in hard scientific data, you may find the research papers of the European Crime and Safety Survey helpful:
http://www.europeansafetyobservatory.eu/

I have been in Brussels maybe two dozen times, and if someone had asked me I would have said that it must be a rather safe city. But that would have been just the "tourist's perspective". I was surprised to find out that Brussels ranks that "high" in the statistics (London as well, by the way). So much for image and reality...

They're not after your rings in Brussels - they're generally after your wallet or your car or the contents of your house.

My god - Brussles did change since I was travelling there anually in the 70's, didn't it? At that time, we used to wander anywhere at night without any worry...

Brussels is NOT safe. I took the Brussels airport express from the Central Station at 13:54 in the afternoon (Sunday). When the train stopped at Nord Station, three Arab-looking men boarded the train. One sat behind my back ,while the other signalled him. Then coins were dropped where my suitcase was. Then the man behind me grabbed my handbag which contained my passport, medicine, credit cards, driver's licenseand house keys. The men jumped out of the train a few minutes before the train started.
The conductress just looked.
Fortunately, one of the passengers accompanied me to the Brussels police station where I filed a complaint. I had to wait for a long time because there were many people robbed.
Luckily, I had checked in online and was able to board the flight.
The police didn't do anything. They said it always happens and there is a mugging reported to them every 3 minutes.
He also told me that most of the criminals work in three's and are either Black or Arab.

Edna:

Just curious..Please tell us how you managed to go thru passport control/security without your passport?

Even if it is not raining, and it often is in Brussels, carry an umbrella. You don't have to use it. It works by itself.

We had a totally different experience in Brussels in October. We walked at night from our hotel to dinner, to the big square, all around. We rode the metro early morning and until about 9 at night. We rode the train into Brussels from Amsterdam, and out of Brussels to Paris. We never encountered one minute of anyone approaching us or acting suspicious.
That said, we are always very aware of where we are, walk in lighted places that have at least some other people around, move purposefully, and don't drink more than a little so that we have our wits about us, and also don't look like easy targets. I don't wear jewelry that would attract attention.
When I travel with DH, who is about 6 feet tall and 220, I think that at least discourages attempts. When I travel with other women, and have done many trips with them, we are even more vigilant. We also do not stay out really late, drink too much or appear to drink too much, and don't invite trouble by flaunting money, jewelry, or ourselves (ha! not sure we'd have any takers anyway) and take the advice of hotel clerks who often can guide you to safer areas.
I don't know if our experience is the norm for Brussels, but in all our European travels we've never had anything stolen, never been attacked, never been approached by the scam artists. I'm really thankful for that, and know we've been very lucky, but we've also been really careful.
I hope others with a good experience in Brussels will tell their stories, as we thought it was a lovely place.

Another reason not to return to Brussels. It is might least favorite European city. All the while that I was there I thought to myself that I should have been in France. Good chocolate though.

"It is might least favorite " Should read MY least favorite city.

My husband and I were there at the end of December/beginning of January and had a great time. We took the Métro, walked everywhere in all sorts of areas. Granted, he is 6'2" and my stepson who lives in Brussels is 6'6" so with two "bodyguards" maybe I was OK. My stepson lives in St. Gilles and I could tell that if you wandered off by one or two streets you could be in trouble. Other than that, we loved it there!