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Barcelona Warnings or Dangers: Pickpockets tips posted by real travelers and Barcelona locals.
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Pickpockets: Barcelona is Pickpocket Heaven!
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  • Updated By Harold_Godwin on July 27, 2004
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  • Check out the site link in text! - Barcelona
    Check out the site link
    in text!
    by Harold_Godwin
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    Tourists are rightly worried about Barcelona's reputation as pickpocket heaven. Here is the low-down.

    (1) Any theft under 50,000 of the old Pesetas (around 300 dollars) is not considered a ‘crime’ at all - providing no violence is used. Under Spanish law it is labelled ‘hurto’. This means if the culprit is caught, he (or she) will be released back onto the streets within half an hour of making a statement at the police station. There are old hands in the Gothic Quarter who have been nabbed by the cops up to 200 times without ever serving a day in prison.

    (2) There are no fewer than five separate (badly co-ordinated) police forces in the city but you won’t see many cops patrolling the streets. Spain has one of the highest ratios of police per thousand inhabitants of any country in the EU but you would never guess it.

    (3) If you are an illegal immigrant, committing petty crime is one way of staying in the country. You can’t be deported if there is a legal case pending against you. This problem is compounded by:

    (4) The sloth and inefficiency of the Spanish Justice system. Courts are woefully understaffed, have virtually no computers, fail to cross-reference records, and often take years to hear cases. There have been several instances of murderers set free because the case is time-barred when it finally gets to court. Add to this the poor training given to Spanish judges and idiosyncratic (not to say idiotic) sentencing and you have all the ingredients of a disaster.

    All this is well-known to both local criminals and the ones who flood in from abroad, the latter attracted by the rich pickings of Barcelona in the summer and the negligible risks involved.

    A map of danger areas is to be found in ‘Barcelona Business’ an English language newspaper (look out for the pink paper on newstands).

    The following site has superb diagrammatic photos of how pickpockets work and how to avoid being robbed.

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    Pickpockets: Pickpockets are rife!
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  • By blint on January 10, 2008
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  • There are MANY pickpockets in Barcelona and the more touristy you look the more of a target you look. Avoid walking too long with your luggage as we were followed at one one point (easy targets I suppose) so we dived into the nearest hostel to avoid them!

    Most aren't dangerous and are just after your goods, day or night. Be VERY careful on the metro, especially in rush hour! It is particularly bad here.

    Stay alert, make sure all bags are tightly secured and keep money spread out in as many different places as possible. A money belt would be a good idea!

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    Pickpockets: Warning: many pickpockets!!
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  • Updated By LuigiMS on September 17, 2002
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  • It's a pity the authorities don't take charge more efficiently of this matter. Many tourists are robbed weekly by pickpockets, generally arabs who act in groups of a few people. They usually rob people at crowded locations, mainly Les Rambles.
    They use to get near the crowds, e.g. where people gather to watch a mime artist. Then, while some of them are watching over police guards or people noticing of their plans, another one pulls out a valuable object very carefully from a pocket usually at one's butt.
    Be very careful of them, don't bring valuable objects at a back pocket. Watch out!
    Moreover it's unwise to roam Les Rambles at very early morning with visible valuable objects such as cameras, or video cameras. At these hours robbers dare to attack tourists.
    The visit in Barcelona surely will be very pleasant and without frights by having in account these advises.

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    Pickpockets: Pickpockets
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  • Updated By JulesH on April 18, 2005
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  • The main warning we were given over again in Barcelona is to watch out for pickpockets. This is true no matter where you are, but I felt much safer in Barcelona than I did in London or Paris for example. The rule is just to keep your wits about you at all times, no matter where you are in the world!

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    Pickpockets: Watch your bags!
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  • By Bif75 on January 9, 2008
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  • Watch your bags, wallets etc when strolling the ramblas as this is a favourite haunt of pickpockets.
    Also take care on the metro, last time I was in the city my friend and I took a trip on the metro and were joined by a young 'loving' couple, they moved behind my friend and when I turned around the man had my friends bag open and was having a good look through!
    I gave him a look of disbelief and shook my head at him which was enough thankfully to make him stop and remove his hands without removing her money or camera!
    Just please be aware, keep an eye on what is going on around you, I don't want to alarm anyone at all!!!
    It's all common sense really!


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    Pickpockets: Be Careful in crowed areas!
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  • Updated By clairegeordio on June 11, 2004
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  • Watch your pockets, bags and cameras in places like the metro, going on the train to and from the airport, on the Rambla and other crowded places. It is best not to walk alone down dark alleys at night. Many people seemed to carry a rucksack on their front or a bag slung across the body. I myself, had no problems, but did buy a bag to wear across the body, and kept my purse in an inside pocket of the bag, not taking too much money out at one time.

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    Pickpockets: Pickpockets near Las Ramblas
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  • By Blatherwick on January 9, 2005
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  • Watch for Pickpockets! - Barcelona
    Watch for Pickpockets!
    by Blatherwick
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    The pickpockets are some of the best in the world. I think that they work in teams as well. I was at the Placa Reial at 3 am in the morning when I had a woman approach me with children and bump me. She started to apologize and pat me down at which point I shoved her and ran. All travellers know that trick! Near the train station was another danger area when I was there. Keep in mind that this information is from 1997

    Keep aware and try to keep as few valuables on you as possible.

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    Pickpockets: Beware of pickpockets!
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  • Updated By Hosell on January 17, 2005
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  • Barcelona is a safe city,but like in all big cities you may find some pickpockets.You must to have your handbag under control in crowded areas as Les Rambles.Also be carefull to walk late night in some quarters of the city,specially on Barri Gotico and around Plaça Reial.

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    Pickpockets: Pickpockets
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  • Updated By Marpessa on January 17, 2008
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  • Las Ramblas - beware of pickpocketing - Barcelona
    Las Ramblas - beware of
    pickpocketing
    by Marpessa
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    Even though I have travelled a bit and been to many cities with warnings of pickpocketers, I was a bit nervous about coming to Barcelona. This is because I actually know of 3 people (and have heard stories of others... 'a friend of a friend') who have had items stolen from them while here.

    But I didn't want to spend the whole time being worried I would have something stolen from me - where's the fun in that? So I kept to the 'be alert, not alarmed' motto, made sure I didn't flash my money or my camera about, and walked with my hand on my bag.

    I've heard the worst area in Barcelona is Las Ramblas for this. But just be aware of your surroundings and you will be fine :).

    For me, I ended up leaving Barcelona without having a pickpocket story to tell and having had a great time there as well.

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    Pickpockets: Shielding the pick pocket from view
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  • By Lauramars on November 10, 2005
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  • I have just returned from a fantastic trip to the beautiful city of Barcelona. Unfortunately whilst visiting Park Guell I witnessed some pick pockets in action with a technique I hadn't heard of before. My partner and I were climbing the stairs, there was a small gap between us and another couple. We were all in single file. Suddenly a young girl cut in between myself and the woman in front. The girl held a map up high like she was studying it, I thought it looked strange but didn't realise what was going on until the woman up ahead turned around quickly and I saw her bag which she had been wearing on her back had been unzipped. The little thief in front of me had been holding the map up high to shield her partner in crime (i hadn't even seen the other girl cut in they were so quick) from my view so that she was free to unzip the bag without being seen. This time they got away with nothing but please be aware of this and don't wear your valuables on your back.


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