How bad is pick pocketing in Barcelona?
- Thread starter MarkLP
- Start date
That is total nonsense, it is much worse than London, it is about the worst place in Europe for pickpocketing. Main reason seems to be that the authorities have a perverse set of incentives in place to deal with it - when arrested the pickpocket pays a small fine which, given the amount they make when not caught, is just a cost of doing business for the pickpocket. The fines themselves generate revenue for the city.
Soldato
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I've seen a pretty Barcelona girl distracting some guy, fish in his pocket and look at what she found, then put it back in before going deeper and coming out with his wallet. Luckily his mate caught her before I got close enough to warn him, but it happened very fast and he was utterly unaware.
Generally, if you've been tea-leafed but not hurt, the police won't give a toss and probably won't speak English... but if you get hurt in the process, they suddenly become very fluent and if you can describe the assailant then chances are you'll get your stuff back. Pickpockets bring money into the locality, while hurting people drives it away. Basic tourism economy.
Just be mindful of your personal space and very wary of anyone coming into it.
Generally, if you've been tea-leafed but not hurt, the police won't give a toss and probably won't speak English... but if you get hurt in the process, they suddenly become very fluent and if you can describe the assailant then chances are you'll get your stuff back. Pickpockets bring money into the locality, while hurting people drives it away. Basic tourism economy.
Just be mindful of your personal space and very wary of anyone coming into it.
Nah, not from my experience, that's why I shared my views, because I've been to both a large number of times. Suggest you research the eastern European pick pocket epidemic in London.
Very similar to your 'small fine' punishment the police arrest said E.European pick pocket, deport him/her and they turn back up 2-3 days later.
But thanks for thinking my factual reply was nonsense
London is getting worse now though. A lot of the thieves travel to London just to steal stuff :/
Soldato
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I've travelled a lot and Barcelona is they only place where I was pick-pocketed and the worst part is I knew exactly what was happening but was powerless to stop it. I guess it was more of a mugging. I was walking early in the morning, around 6am to the bus station with my girlfriend when a group of lads approached us and started doing this weird dancing thing with me, trying to swipe my feet one at a time from under me. I knew they were trying to get into my pocket so had my hand over my wallet but i must have lost my balance enough to take my hand out of my pocket at which time they swiped it and stopped. I went to my girlfriend, checked my pocket and realised they'd got it. Shouted after them "Hey!" and approached them (which i shouldn't have done) and the guy who got it was going through it looking for notes. Luckily I actually didn't have any cash and he just said "What? no money?" and handed it back.
It shook us up pretty bad and left us with a bad taste for Barcelona but really it is a great city let down by this petty crime. Just don't carry a bunch of cash and you'll be alright. They weren't interested in my cards at all. Actually phones might be a different matter. This was before I had a smartphone so I didn't need to worry about it.
It shook us up pretty bad and left us with a bad taste for Barcelona but really it is a great city let down by this petty crime. Just don't carry a bunch of cash and you'll be alright. They weren't interested in my cards at all. Actually phones might be a different matter. This was before I had a smartphone so I didn't need to worry about it.
I've been and while most of the time it wasn't any different to any big city, I'd say that at the right (wrong?) time and place it was incredibly blatant and they were quite happy to rob people in full view of lots of people.
Watch out for any rammed train/tube. The 'gangs' modus operandi was basically to stand on the platform, wait till the doors opened and then push each other like they were trying to get on. In the fuss, the guys nearest the train would be robbing those on board just as the doors were closing - then they'd all casually stand around on the platform waiting for the next train and do the exact same again.
Watch out for any rammed train/tube. The 'gangs' modus operandi was basically to stand on the platform, wait till the doors opened and then push each other like they were trying to get on. In the fuss, the guys nearest the train would be robbing those on board just as the doors were closing - then they'd all casually stand around on the platform waiting for the next train and do the exact same again.
In the day and out in the open I haven't seen any other than the obvious ones looking for property left on beaches unattended, in the clubs it's pretty bad but not any worse than Ibiza for example (We caught one in Space once after 3 girls in our group had been done, it was good seeing the bouncers nearly crush his windpipe )
)Nah, not from my experience, that's why I shared my views, because I've been to both a large number of times. Suggest you research the eastern European pick pocket epidemic in London.
Very similar to your 'small fine' punishment the police arrest said E.European pick pocket, deport him/her and they turn back up 2-3 days later.
But thanks for thinking my factual reply was nonsense
Stop giving bad advice, the poster is looking for advice and telling someone it is 'as bad as London' when it simply isn't isn't helpful.
try googling it - Barcelona tops most pick pocket lists:
Trip advisors top ten:
https://www.tripadvisor.com/PressCenter-i260-c1-Press_Releases.html
London doesn't even make the top 10 whereas Barcelona takes the number 1 slot.
OP, take precautions and don't listen to the naive views telling you it is as bad as any other city - obviously all cities have crime but Barcelona is about as bad as it can get for pickpocketing. Just be cautious on the metro and/or if approached by people on the street (especially if they get too close to you) and you should be fine.
First I'm posting nonsense and now I'm naive
That article is from 2009, might as well be quoting the DM, chap
I've been to both twice this year to date, over the last year I clocked up 9 times in Barcelona (three times staying on the Ramblas), so again, I'm speaking from experience not relying on an out of date article. Sorry if you keep missing that key piece of info.
That article is from 2009, might as well be quoting the DM, chap
I've been to both twice this year to date, over the last year I clocked up 9 times in Barcelona (three times staying on the Ramblas), so again, I'm speaking from experience not relying on an out of date article. Sorry if you keep missing that key piece of info.
First I'm posting nonsense and now I'm naive
That article is from 2009, might as well be quoting the DM, chap
I've been to both twice this year to date, over the last year I clocked up 9 times in Barcelona (three times staying on the Ramblas), so again, I'm speaking from experience not relying on an out of date article. Sorry if you keep missing that key piece of info.
You're speaking as an individual, it isn't really relevant.
Tell you what, find me a list that puts London at the top instead of your personal anecdote from having visited as an individual.
Probably easier and ultimately better to just ignore you - [tommycooper] "Just like that" [/tommycooper]
OP, be careful in both cities they can both be dangerous and enjoyable in equal measure - I think common sense will be your greatest ally.
- [tommycooper] "Just like that" [/tommycooper]OP, be careful in both cities they can both be dangerous and enjoyable in equal measure - I think common sense will be your greatest ally.
Soldato
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- 21 Apr 2007
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carry around hypodermic needles in your pocket, that'll teach em.
First I'm posting nonsense and now I'm naive
That article is from 2009, might as well be quoting the DM, chap
I've been to both twice this year to date, over the last year I clocked up 9 times in Barcelona (three times staying on the Ramblas), so again, I'm speaking from experience not relying on an out of date article. Sorry if you keep missing that key piece of info.
The well established academic institution 'TripAdvisor' did a 'study' in 2009 which the DM recycled 7 years later through an article that appeared in dowie's first Google hit. So he did quote the DM but since even dowie agrees that DM is less reputable than a user generated content travel website, he didn't link to it.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/t...-cities-likely-pickpocketed-avoid-victim.html