Pickpockets

Tripadvisor for 2010,

has today named Barcelona as the worst City in the world for pick pockets

We just spent two days there about a month ago. I was so paranoid about them when we were on La Ramblas it kind of ruined that walk but the rest of the city I was more relaxed. We did not have any problems but we did see one incident where someone had just been pickpocketed and started chasing the thief. It was in the Barri Gotic section of town. Its a shame as Barcelona is a great city otherwise. I have to believe it has an impact on their tourism.

Kirk

There have been lots of discussions about this on here and on Trip Advisor. I still maintain that if you take normal precautions and are street smart you will be OK.

I also had no trouble on my last visit BUT we spent very little time on Las Ramblas and we did not use the metro just buses and taxis.

could be right ,but don,t count on it.

Beware ALL over - and that goes for every place you visit! And I'm not paranoid - just come from New York City! We were very careful and had NO trouble in Barcelona on the Rambles or Barri Gotic area or by the waterfront but just avoided an incident in Montjuic!

We had spent the morning there and had just paid admission to the Spanish Village when a young Asian woman walked up to us with an open map asking directions to the Fort in the park. My DH, being an historian and us just coming from there, was trying to be helpful when I realized she was a bit too close and the open map was conveniently between them hiding his belly bag. I pushed-in louding asking what the problem was as she turned and hurried off. She must have seen him putting away his money. The area wan't too crowded but it also wasn't too empty.

The incident didn't ruin our trip (especially since we avoided losing anything) and we'd go back to Barcelone in a heart-beat (although we found the airport is the worst!) but it reinforced or dedication to always being alert - at least one of you if you're traveling together!

So don't be paranoid but always be alert - everywhere! While I'll never assume the worst of anyone, I'll also be very careful of everyone!

Tripadvisor for 2010,

has today named Barcelona as the worst City in the world for pick pockets

You would think that the government would try to do something about the situation. There must be a reason why they don't.

This subject has been done to death on other posts.

At the moment the law is such that minor theft results in a small fine(if the person is caught) and then they are right back on the street. I suppose that many cities put this sort of crime on a lower priority level than crime that does bodily harm.

I DO think there could be more of a police presence but I know here in San Diego they have been cutting money for police so perhaps it is the same in Barcelona.

BCN has always had the rep for pickpockets as well as some other cities in Spain as they are raised from the cradle to do so and have some of the best. It is just a fact of life and one has to be careful there as in any city anywhere.As mentioned this subject has been beaten to death over the years on the boards so that being said I end my post:D

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1247274

And what is the point, just be smart and aware and you will fine. Or act like a chump tourist and well you will be a chump.

This subject has been done to death on other posts.

BCN has always had the rep for pickpockets as well as some other cities in Spain as they are raised from the cradle to do so and have some of the best. It is just a fact of life and one has to be careful there as in any city anywhere.As mentioned this subject has been beaten to death over the years on the boards so that being said I end my post:D

I first visited Spain in 1984 and pickpockets were going wild, the Spanish police did nothing after my Wife's purse was snatched at the Plaza Major in Madrid. We were on edge our entire visit, but still enjoyed Spain.

Interesting that pickpockets are really bad in countries like Spain, Italy and Greece, while you never hear about them in Germany. I lived in Germany for four years. I think the police are more serious about their jobs there.

We are surprised over here about this perception of Barcelona abroad. Yes, there are pickpockets but not in a bigger number than other Spanish cities. Probably there are a big amount operating in Ramblas, but as violence is virtually impossible at daylight and busy areas, just walking a few money, and closely controlled in an interior pocket, that all you need to take care in Barcelona.

Forget about internet panic, and just common sence is all you need. I have been travelling to Barcelona almost every month, for ages, and never had any trouble. The only pickpocket attack was in Strassbourg and by someone using a knife. I usually get to SANS Train Station and use the subway with my luggage. No problems at all.

Hi Keltic,

thanks for posting,

do you ever travel between Santiago & Vigo by train.

we go into Vigo frequently, but never done this trip

Barcelona is one of the worst places for pickpockets. That is the reality. Even if you go and don't see it first hand, know it exists.

The good news is that the police are taking a more active role to try to control this but it is still widespread.

On our last visit there this past April I spoke with a couple of people who either saw an incident or were involved.

In the latter case our desitation lecturer was getting into public transport with his wife and one other couple when two people came up to him and one person took his cell phone from his pocket. This lecturer is quite tall and very well traveled and he took his cell phone back. He called out and the security guard came over. To make a long story short he went to the police station later to give a report on what happened.

Likewise someone we know from the crew was out and saw a person with a very expensive camera and other equipment and one person ran up to him, grabbed the camera out of his hands and ripped the case of his shoulder and ran.

With 20% or so unemployment this adds to the problem.

The bottom line is to be street smart when you travel and by that I mean be observant of your surroundings. Also take care of your possessions and leave most items at the hotel or on the ship. You can be robbed almost anywhere.

But, the reality is there are some places where robberies are quite high and this is one of those cities.

Keith

Hi Keltic,

thanks for posting,

do you ever travel between Santiago & Vigo by train.

we go into Vigo frequently, but never done this trip

Yes, many times. It´s hourly and takes about 85 minutes. The reason for taking so long is because they are upgrading the tracks and to be double line to make possible to speed up to 150 as the segment between Santiago and La Coruña.

Trains are quite modern, safe and usually in time. The train station is about 20 minutes walk, so I recommed a taxi from the port to the station. In Santiago, it´s not in the centre either, but as it´s an smaller place you can walk from the station to the city centre.

We do understand that this subject has been beaten to death in prior threads, but here is our take on the subject based on about forty years of extensive European travel. A majority of pickpockets seem to be the infamous Roma (gypsies) and they are everywhere in Western Europe. One should take reasonable precautions everywhere and not just focus on Barcelona. In fact, we tell folks that in all of our travels we have had 3 attempts to pick our pockets (foiled all 3) and they happened in Arles (France, Istanbul and Bologna (Italy). WE have been in Barcelona more then 15 times and have never had a problem although we did help foil a purse snatcher who grabbed a purse some foolish crusie passenger had put under her table at an outdoor cafe!

Hank

yes beaten to death, But there are still cruisers reading boards for the 1st time?

I posted this on another thread. Rick Steves certainly distinguishes Barcelona from other Med ports and cities. I am not going to suggest that Steves is the final word on all things Mediterranean travel. But it is worth hearing what he has to say. If both Trip Advisor and Steves both claim that Barcelona has the biggest problem, there has to be something there. If you think these threads on Barcelona crime are overkill, please scroll by. We feel safe in Barcelona. But we are also a bit more on guard.

Theft Alert: You're most likely to be pickpocketed here - especially on the Ramblas - than about anywhere in Europe. Most of the crime is nonviolent, but muggings do occur. Be on guard. Leave valuables in your hotel and wear a money belt.

Later, he goes on to say, assume any scuffle is simply a distraction by a team of thieves.

The key to remember is that those who pickpocket are not so obvious as in the old days when they would be the gypsies and would dress in black clothing as in Rome.

The reality is that you have to be on the lookout at all times. This is why people need to leave valuables locked up either back at the hotel or the ship. This is not the places to wear expensive jewelry and I would tell you to not wear any. Passports should not be carried with you. Watch out for expensive camera equipment. The key is to be street smart.

Many times if we are walking and I feel the presence of someone right behind me I let them pass.

This is not the only city with problems but it is consistently on the top five list of just about every report I've read.

I thought the problem here actually got worse a few years ago when it was getting a little better in places such as Rome. I was pleased to see more police out and about during our April visit.

The reality is no matter what city you are in someone in a matter of seconds can remove your wallet or some other item. Be careful here and carry very little with you.

Keith

Dear friends:

TripAdvisor and the press that has mentioned this "news item" both admit that their statistics are not scientific, but rather are formed by culling the word "pickpocket" from forums and hotel reviews on the TripAdvisor site.

Since Barcelona always receives a great deal of press about pickpocketing in the Las Ramblas area, naturally there are going to be more posts about this topic.

Another flaw I find with the "survey" is that most, albeit not all, of the users of TripAdvisor are Americans. Americans tend to post more in forums about foreign travel than about travel to their own American cities. Consequently, American cities (New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, Detroit, etc.) are surprisingly missing from these statistics, even though we Europeans tend to feel far less safe travelling in American cities than we do in any city in Europe.

Because Spain lived through a dictatorship in the mid-twentieth century, we are very sensitive here about issues such as abuse by the police forces and the government, etc. This, for better or for worse, is reflected in the Spanish Penal Code. In Spain, if you don't commit theft repeatedly, or for an amount of money above a certain threshold, or use violence when committing theft, you don't stay in jail like in the United States. Here in Spain, if you have no criminal record, you don't go to prison unless you are sentenced to more than two years. And things like life sentences and the death penalty are unconstitutional here. Of course, this same trend of thought sometimes backfires in our face when a terrorist in his twenties commits mass murder of dozens of people, but then gets released from prison in his forties or fifties. The Spanish (and most European) press were astonished when California enacted its three-strikes law.

If you have had a chance to watch the Spanish news, you will find that at the start of the summer, the Barcelona authorities took extra measures to try to prevent pickpocketing in the Las Ramblas area, such as placing plain clothes police personnel, installing cameras, initiating deportation proceeding for those caught pickpocketing who do not hold legal status in Spain, etc.

The bright side of all of this is that Barcelona, Madrid, and nearly all of Spain have far less violent crime than in the United States.

And because of the late hours we have here in Spain (dinner at 10:30 p.m., discos don't open until 3 am, etc.) Spanish cities are considered quite safe at night because there are as many people in the streets here at night as there are during rush hours.

Just take normal precautions and you should be fine.

Enjoy your travels.

Kind regards,

Gunther and Uta

Gunther and Uta, there is no question that there are certain large cities around the world where tourists must be very careful with respect to crime and Barcelona is one of them. I have seen Barcelona on a number of the top crime lists year over year. We have witnessed crime ourself in this city and we have known many people who have been robbed or were with others who had problems with the pickpocketers.

Yes, this can happen anywhere around the world and even in our own backyards so to speak.

But extra vigilence should indeed be taken in Barcelona just as I would warn others to be more careful in places such as Naples, Rome (although it seems to be improving), Rio, Buenos Aires, just to name a few where many visit on Cruise Ships.

Keith

CrusinGerman: "Another flaw I find with the "survey" is that most, albeit not all, of the users of TripAdvisor are Americans. Americans tend to post more in forums about foreign travel than about travel to their own American cities. Consequently, American cities (New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, Detroit, etc.) are surprisingly missing from these statistics, even though we Europeans tend to feel far less safe traveling in American cities than we do in any city in Europe."

I think most Americans would agree with this. The difference is that in US cities I would be more concerned about violent crime while in Europe I am more concerned about non-violent crimes. If TA did a similar "survey" and searched for mugged, US cities would or should be at the top.

Kirk

I might sound like a broken record, but whether or not the survey is flawed, whether or not Barcelona should be ranked 1, 10 or 50th. The issue is there is indeed a lot of pick pocketers in Barcelona and it would be good for those visiting there to be on the alert for this. Yes, most of this is not violent crimes but that doesn't make a difference to those who have their passports stolen, wallets stolen, camera and other equipment stolen, credit cards or atm cards or both stolen.

Yes, there is quite a bit more of this in Las Rambles as there would be in other crowded areas but I can assue you it is not limited to that area. I have seen it first hand on tours that were not in Las Rambles but have also seen it in Las Rambles. We have a family member who spent six months there and saw it in many other places and also had a couple of friends who had their passports stolen.

Crime is obviously a problem in places around the world.

We love Barcelona and treasure each and every visit. But that does not change the fact that this is one of those ports of call that we take more precuations with respect to what we take ashore and how we handle ourselves while walking many of the city streets.

Keith

Surely it all boils down to using some street smarts and common sense. If you walk around a city, any city, festooned with expensive cameras and/or jewellery and/or a wallet full of credit cards you are making yourself a target. It's a shame that we have to be paranoid about pickpockets but it's better than being naive about the risks. Sad but true.

Surely it all boils down to using some street smarts and common sense. If you walk around a city, any city, festooned with expensive cameras and/or jewellery and/or a wallet full of credit cards you are making yourself a target. It's a shame that we have to be paranoid about pickpockets but it's better than being naive about the risks. Sad but true.

It does boil down to being careful but even experienced travelers make a mistake from time to time and then there are many who just don't realize that this can be more of a problem in certain cities.

However, there are certain cities that we do take even more precautions and this is one of them whether that is carrying a travel wallet around my neck, or carrying a less expensive camera around the city.

With that said through our travels we have learned that when we are a tourist in any city (in and outside the USA) we leave our valuables locked up and we minimize what we take.

The key is not to let your guard down even for a moment. And it is easy to forget.

I think it is good to highlight this item on this board because from time to time people wil post to this board saying I am leaving the cruise ship in the morning and don't have a flight until later in the day and want to tour or even the reverse. Well, in that situation they do have valuables on hand including passports and the like.

Anyway, it all sounds simple but any of us could be pickpocketed even taking precautions but it does pay to take extra precautions and to be street smart. If this thread reminds people of that, this is good.

Keith