Barcelona-City OF Pickpockets

haddock22

Im certain its been said before on these forums but I thought I would warn anyone staying in barcelona to be aware as possible of pickpockets.Ive traveled the world for 30 years and never had any problems but in barcelona I had 2 attempts in 2 days.
The first was at the coach station where as i went down stairs suddenly found a young girls hand trying to get my camera out of my pocket as i went down stairs and the second was on the metro where I entered the train and was pushed in the back by someone pretending to leap on at the last moment and then he suddenly got of.He actually took out of my back pocket the metro card and the hotel card.
Im certain there are many more if you walk down the main streets looking at the sights

BEWARE

phatbear

I would say Rome is worse than Barca, all the pickpocketing I have heard of or witnessed in Barca have always been roughly in the same area, ie in and around las ramblas, where as rome seems to be open season regardless of where you go.

Regardless of where you are its always the same security advice should be adhered to. Dont put anything in your back pockets that you are not willing to lose, have your handbag on your front and zip it up etc etc it amazes me on a day to day basis how many people i see wandering through the airport with their passports hanging out of their back pockets

littlefeet_2

I've seen some pickpocketing going on in Barca, mainly on Las Ramblas and on the metro stations near there (a man would effectively cause a pile up on the top or bottom of the escalator so his accomplice would have an excuse to collide with the tourist).

However, I had the most problems in Madrid - I had kept all my valuables secure in zipped internal pockets, but I kept finding the outer pockets on my handbag unzipped.

Rome is pretty bad for gangs of teenage girls pick pocketing on the metro.

richardw

Does that baby throwing thing still go on?

Bongedone

A friend just got back from Barca where she was mugged and beaten up by a group of youths.

Doshwaster

I have been to Barca a few times and haven't had a problem. BUT, there are plenty of dodgy areas, especially at the bottom of Las Ramblas, where you have to keep your wits about you.

It's a shame it has this problem as otherwise it's a great (if expensive) city.

lily_the_pink

My mother in law had her purse lifted from her handbag last year in Barcelona (on a bus to the big Gaudi Park). She is still kicking herself for using a new handbag that did not have good inside pockets - we never worked out who it was either. She was also looking after my father in laws credit card too as he could not be trusted (:rotfl:) -

to be fair to Barcelona though, it is a big bad city and this sort of stuff happens every day in London, New York, LA etc so you just have to keep your eyes peeled and try not to look to easy to rob or that you are not worth robbing. And dont carry all your cards in one place (and all the money for that matter).

hollydays

http://www.westyorkshire.police.uk/ViewImage.asp?image=/files/image/large/bells.jpg

Lots of Police Forces give out these "purse bells" which you clip on your purse so you can hear if anyone moves it.They are quiet loud.

I saw a 2 men in the metro there,just coming off a staircase, chucking an empty wallet down that he had obviously nicked.Didn't get the feeling it was worse than anywhere else though.
Crowded places where people can get near to you eg stations and on staircases are always areas to be really careful on.

Rachel85

This is the main reason I'll never go back (plus it smells, the beach is scabby and there's nothing to do...). If you stand still for long enough, someone will pinch your shoes...

geri1965_2

I got robbed there once - two blokes stole my purse from my hand as I was waiting to cross the road - stupid of me really, I should have had a bag but I was only popping out to a shop.

Another time walking by the cathedral, a woman bumped into me and when I looked down, she had managed to unzip my bag - luckily it had lots of pockets and my valuables weren't in the one she opened, so she got nothing.

It wouldn't put me off going again - I love it. How anyone can say there is "nothing to do" there is beyond me. What is it you want to do exactly?

colmil

I ask my partner why women always have to have a handbag, the usual amswers, our makeup , purse etc no pockets in trousers etc- total load of rubbish!

Thry do NOT need a bag, its pure vanity, they can wear trousers and a money belt as I do, so I do not feel any sympathy when they leave themselves an easy target, when will they start to live in the real world??