Pickpockets, Barcelona

It's been a long time since I wrote my first review on pickpockets in Barcelona.
Unfortunately, I write to alert about this plague again. I am a local, and I want to denounce the situation I witness everyday in Passeig de Gracia Station, where airport trains have one of their main stops twice every hour.
This station has become pickpockets paradise currently.
I work in an office building in front of the Pau Claris Exit and I see them running upstairs and downstairs all the time.
Please note:
They always work in couples. A third member works as a watch-out.
They will wait for victims in the Arrival platform (2), and will follow them all the way to the scalators.
Sometimes these mob will even manage to stop the scalators, so passengers will be forced to walk up stairs carrying their big suitcases. They will act fast. Though not violent, they will try to look intimidating.
How to recognise them: they are young men or women with
Eastern look (they all belong to Easter European mafia groups). Always in couples, rather tiny or slim, in casual clothes or sportstwear. Remember the stairs are the critical area, as they tend to be crowded.
Don't let those bas***** ruin your holiday and our tourism industry.
Stay safe, and enjoy your trip to Barcelona.

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I feel like I had been violated and my comfort level diminished for feeling safe in this city. It is loaded with pickpockets, and no locals seem to care. I heard of many tourist stories of losing wallets, and even luggage. One group of 10 tourists who were waiting to get on a cruise ship had not yet left their hotel, but the bags were out front. Well, a group of youth ran off with 17 bags, and the hotel seemed used to the event.
I read up on statistics and found that there were well over 1,500,000 known pickpocket thefts in 2009 that is admitted to. Police cannot handle the load, and do not seem to want to tackle the problem. You see no police around anywhere, especially on the subway system where a lot of theft occurs. Basically you are not safe anywhere.
My episode is I felt within 30 seconds that my billfold was gone the first time on the subway, and turned around but the doors were closed and the criminals gone. WE went to the next station and came back for go through trash cans. I found the billfold, less 150 Euro in the third can. The second time I knew I was getting set up immediately after I was "blocked" The a--hole already got my billfold out of my front pocket and coin purse, and was walking off the subway. I grabbed him by his coat and turned him around,; hit him on the arm and back of head. He had the "balls" to argue that it was his jacket and to let go. I said give me my billfold now, then I saw it was dropped on the ground 10 feet away. I let loose of him, and retrieved the billfold before his companions would take it. Needless to say, once loose 4 of them-2 guys and 2 women ran off with me yelling for help and police. Nobody even bothered to look around to see what was happening. Locals are immune to the crime and do not want to get involved.
I am one on many thousands that will not return to this city for good reason.

If you must use a huge bag, keep it as close to your body as possible. Make sure it's closed (zipper closed) and hug it when you're in public places, such as market area, streets and train stations.

I suggest you use a small bag to hold your passport, your keys and other small essential items and a few cash. Don't bring all your money when you're sight-seeing, just to be on the safe side. And keep this small bag close to you.

It was one crowded night in the train station when we heard a lady screaming somebody has gotten her wallet from her bag. Since there were throngs of people there, it was impossible to catch the thief. What I did while touring the beautiful city of Barcelona was I used a small bag for my essentials and had it underneath my coat. So it wasn't obvious that I had a bag since my coat was buttoned up.

Also, I suggest you just carry along a coin purse for your cash, so you don't have to carry bulky wallets (with credit and ATM cards) that are thieves' main targets.

Keep an eye on your belongings and don't even think about leaving your things unattended.

After a day of shopping and sight-seeing, I headed back to my hotel. Since it's just a small hotel, its lobby is just merely 10 steps away from the exit. I left my things at the lobby and went out for a smoke. I was confident that nobody would dare get my stuff but when I went back in, my things were gone.

Luckily, a hotel staff saw me when I came in, dropped off my things and dashed out again. He went to get my things and kept them for me, just to make sure they wouldn't get lost.

If locals are that worried about having unattended personal belongings stolen, then we tourists must really be careful. Perhaps I've gotten used to Singapore's safe environment that I didn't worry about being gone for a couple of minutes. Lesson learnt. :)

Barcelona is for pickpockets

by oferdesade - last update: Apr 24, 2011

although barcelona is one of the most exciting, beautiful cities I've ever visited, it is number 1 in the world for pickpockets. when i asked locals about this (at the police station where i reported and at the hotel), the reply was, "where there are lots of tourists, there are lots of pickpockets".
this, of course, is baloney, because they far outstrip rome, london, paris and other high-pressure tourist locales.
but, of course, since it is such a wonderful place and since we would all like to do our bit to help the barcelon police in their half-hearted attempt at fighting this blight, i would suggest boycotting barcelona until they show some signs of success in their fight.
after all, if there will be less tourists, maybe (according to their logic) the pickpockets will also go elsewhere.
nearly everyone falls victim
the blonde at the picasso museum, my dad, nobody actually brings this up until you tell them that you too were vandalized. then, suddenly, you realize that it's nearly every second tourist in barcelona who has had to divert his money - not to enjoyment, but to some petty thief's retirement fund.
the story is always the same - i've been to the far east, africa, everywhere which should be less safe. but the expertise of these people is so high that it can only be the result of unhindered practice.
my dad - and i will admit that he tends towards the the melodramatic conspiracy theory narrative in general - is certain that he was followed from the hotel and reported upon by the clerk, the taxi driver etc. all the way to the airport where he lost 600 euros. other people tell stories of mere carelessness.
whatever the story, why should we spend our vacation in a paranoid mindset? why should all those thousands go down the drain for the lifting of a coupla hundred. even if the loss is slight, the insult is enough to ruin a well-planned, well paid for vacation that should be spent in a mood of uninhibited joy.
and if barcelona cant supply that, then let's go somewhere else, less beautiful, perhaps, less exciting, but more carefree, from which we wont come back home sorry

Read more: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/1509a6/#ixzz1KRuk72dp

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or know someone who has, I would ask you to please join our Facebook group, "I know someone who got robbed in Barcelona" (http://www.facebook.com/RobbedInBarcelona) and, optionally, tell us (or copy and paste) your story. We are working to get action taken and turn the tides on this rampant thievery epidemic (which has gotten and is getting worse--it's a free-for-all in which the thieves are more brazen than ever and acting with utter impunity), and the numbers do and will help.

Thank you and be safe.

Barcelona is in general a safe town where violent crime is rare, however you should always be aware of pickpockets as they are extremely good.

Tourist are usually the main target so just be extra careful with your belongings as sometimes robberies can be avoided by just being a little bit extra careful.

Basic security advices:

- Keep your documents safe: Do not carry your ID or passport, always leave it at your hotel. A photocopy is usually enough.

- Do not leave your luggage or belongings unattended at any given time.

- Suspect of anyone that seems to be too friendly.

- Do not let people getting too close to you.

- Be specially careful of people saying that you have a stain on your clothing, don’t let them clean it as they are probably trying to rob you.

- Do not show large amounts of money.

- Be careful with people asking for directions, as this is one of the tactics used. Again, don’t let people get too close.

- Be careful when withdrawing money from an ATM, always have a look around before withdrawing money.

On arriving outside are apartment after getting a taxi from the airport, my friend was 600 euros down after just 2 minutes! Arriving with all are luggage and a confused look upon are faces we fell victim to a petty pickpocket. A female approached use all (four lads) and asked use to sign a charity form, seeing no harm in this my friend signed. On signing the female put the clipboard up close to his face whilst doing so helping her self to 600 euros in his pocket. Non of use realised due to use concentrating on getting into the apartment and watching the suitcases! She hit use at are most vunerable point! My second incident was on the metro, this time on the way to the airport. After are first experience we had been cautious all week, howeveranother of my friends wallet managed to get taken! On boarding the metro at Urquinaona around 5 males pushed in-between are group, separating myself and a friend from the two others; we both had suitcases. At first noting was thought of it due to how busy it was. However they then separated use further and I charged through the middle of them, good job I did! My shoulder bag was half open with my headphones hanging out, after are first encounter I would never leave my bag like that! If it wasn't for a very nice Spanish male who grabbed my friends wallet of the pickpocket it would of been another success fir the petty criminals! Barcelona is a beautiful city however this kind of crime ruins it completely!