Report: Crime in Barcelona

Maximilian

I'm just back from Barcelona and let me give you this tip: Leave your wallet in a safe and just bring whatever cash you need. Keep your hands in your pockets.

Out of my group of 10, 3 of us got are wallets pickpocketed. One guy had his passport stolen, another found his jacket pocket had been slashed with a knife but they didn't get his wallet. Spoke to some people at the airport, and out of their wedding party of 60, 10 had theirs nicked.

When my friend went to the police station to report his passposrt, he was told to come back the next day, as due to the amount of people reporting their own stolen, he would be waiting for hours.

As far as I can tell, crime is out of control in that city. Particularly in the Ramblas area. The cops just don't seem to care.

Out of curiosity, what are other people's experiences?

eth0_

If you kept your wallet/passport in a backpack or the back pocket of your trousers...what do you expect? I've never been pickpocketed in my life, I keep my wallet in the front pocket of my trousers and I lock my passport in the hotel room safe. I don't know what you expect the police to do, I mean if you didn't even notice someone slashing your back or putting their hand in your pocket, the police will probably miss it too.

xzanti

I'm just home from there myself after a hens weekend and it is crazy... So dodgy, a girl from another hens party that was there the same time as us was dragged down a lane and sexually assaulted.. Very dangerous place IMO..

zAbbo

Been twice rencently, and spent a good few hours round La Ramblas, Didn't get anything stolen, and neither did anyone I was with.

I usually just take the cash I need, regardless of where I'm going.

You must be the big touristy types.

Why did someone have their passport with them in La Ramblas

jester77

Same experience here. 3 of us there for a weekend, heard all the warnings beforehand, even told by the staff in the hotel, so we were well aware and extra cautious looking out for anything suspicious. Yet my mates wallet got lifted when we were moving between bars. I would say 90% of the people I know who have been there have had a similar experience!

Afuera

Living for nearly two years now in Barcelona, and personally have had no problems with crime. I agree that around las Ramblas, especially el Raval, is dodgy; anyone I know that's got robbed has had it happen around these zones (one guy had his apartment broken into three times within the space of three months). I wouldn't go so far as to say that crime is out of control in the whole city though! There's plenty of other areas to check out that have a lot less of the scum element (Gracia, Eixample Dreta, Born and Barceloneta in particular).

The advise of only taking what you need on a night out (and leaving the passport back in the hotel) sounds like common sense for anywhere in the world to be honest.

Zaph

I've been there three times, and while I would accept that on my last visit there things appeared to have deteriorated a bit, I've never had any trouble with crime, and nor have any of the people with me. A little bit of common sense is needed, you'd be careful with your money and possessions in certain parts of Dublin, so why should being abroad be any different? Barcelona and Rome (another place I've been to without problems) have well publicised reputations for pickpockets, so I would have thought that anyone going there would know this in advance and taken extra precautions.

BuffyBot

Move to the right forum..

RuggieBear

some mates were over at the liverpool/barca game a little bit back and 4 of them got pickpocketed.

My father was also pickpocketed twice there over the same weekend last year...

Maximilian

eth0_ wrote:

If you kept your wallet/passport in a backpack or the back pocket of your trousers...what do you expect? I've never been pickpocketed in my life, I keep my wallet in the front pocket of my trousers and I lock my passport in the hotel room safe. I don't know what you expect the police to do, I mean if you didn't even notice someone slashing your back or putting their hand in your pocket, the police will probably miss it too.

The guy had his passport for a reason - he was on his way from the airport. As for the wallets, we all had ours in our front pockets, not hanging out our ass pockets, as I for one have at least half a brain. You don't realise how "good" these guys are at what they do and the variety of methods they use. As for the police, well, if the bouncers know who the guys are, how can the cops not?

I'm sure Barcelona has its merits and its better areas but for 3/7 in our case and 6 people of another group we met to all have had this happen goes beyond the norm or average for this kind of crime. Does anyone think something like that could happen in Dublin to that high degree? I doubt it.

Anyway. Lessons learned.

smemon

was in Barcelona in January..

Heard about all this pick pocket stuff.. so kept a close eye on my camera/wallet etc..

No problems.. it's the same in any city, if you look like a tourist and act like one, you'll be a target.

Don't wear a rucksack, have maps out in the open, wave camera's about, leave anything in your back pockets etc..

All common sense. Think like a pick pocketer, and you'll be grand

breadmonkey

Did anyone else see the group of people doing the cup and balls scam on the Ramblas? I watched from upstairs in McDonalds for about 40 mins and could see that there were about 8-10 people involved. Scumbags

Sonnenblumen

Approx 7 friends were in Barcelona recently for an extended weekend, during which 5 were pickpocketed (different times and city locations). 3 were victims of a very physical gang attack/mugging on way back to hotel from nightclub. One member of the group was pickpocketed twice over the W/E!!

All in all a miserable damper on the break. Glad I didn't go. Still it might prove to be useful training for the trip to Prague later in year.

breadmonkey

Sonnenblumen wrote:

All in all a miserable damper on the break. Glad I didn't go. Still it might prove to be useful training for the trip to Prague later in year.

Just watch out for the prossies! Never have I seen such overt pickpocting!

Maximilian

Sonnenblumen wrote:

Still it might prove to be useful training for the trip to Prague later in year.

I don't think Prague is anywhere near as bad - I've been there 3 times now & have wandered around the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square, drunk as hell without incident. Maybe I was just lucky.

zAbbo

breadmonkey wrote:

Did anyone else see the group of people doing the cup and balls scam on the Ramblas? I watched from upstairs in McDonalds for about 40 mins and could see that there were about 8-10 people involved. Scumbags

Yeah i saw some Japenese lad get scammed for 50 bucks. Tidy operation.

cold_filter

Sonnenblumen wrote:

Approx 7 friends were in Barcelona recently for an extended weekend, during which 5 were pickpocketed (different times and city locations). 3 were victims of a very physical gang attack/mugging on way back to hotel from nightclub..

Very surprised that didnt happen to us, was with 3 girls and 3 lads including myself, but one particular night we were hammered and the girls were walking so slow it took about 2 hours to get them to walk the normal 15 mins back to the hotel, tbh i found barcelona to be a dump and unsafe, id never go back

GreenHell

Barca has to be the pick pocket capitol of the world. There so in your face about it is unreal.

melekalikimaka

everytime i've been there some one i know has gotten stuff stolen. its such a lovely city ruined by then damn street urchins

Flinty

breadmonkey wrote:

Did anyone else see the group of people doing the cup and balls scam on the Ramblas? I watched from upstairs in McDonalds for about 40 mins and could see that there were about 8-10 people involved. Scumbags

I think if anyone gets involved in the cup and ball game thinking they might win, they deserve to be ripped off.

Tom Dunne

Was there the weekend before last (second time there) and I must say I don't think I have ever felt so intimidated.

As I was getting an earlier flight than the rest of my group the next day, I had the bright idea of leaving them and went to get a taxi on my own. While I wasn't pick-pocketed, I was tried on numerous occasions by at least seven prostitutes. Luckily I hadn't too much drink on me. I eventually went back to the group where I felt safe.

Later as the 8 of us were walking to the bottom of the Ramblas (hint: you won't get one at the top after the pubs close), we saw nothing but North African scangers sitting around just looking for trouble. You could just tell by looking at them that they were up to no good.

It is dangerous and intimidating, especially after 3:00am.

rediguana

Might be a seasonal thing. I was there in December and had no problems.

A friend-of-a-friend was robbed at brick point though last summer.

whippet

it is one of my favourite cities, personally I have never had any real problems but a lot of friends of mine have.

The brassers late at night are just annoying ... a bit of street smarts will help you out .. keep moving, ignore and generally don't even entertain them in any way they will just move on to the next nonlocal they see.

The one and only time I have been pickpocketed has been in madrid, scary experience .. waking up after a night out, not having a clue about what happened the night before (depsite not drinking enough to warrent that blackout) and being a wallet, watch and phone lighter.

Milktrolley

Sonnenblumen wrote:

All in all a miserable damper on the break. Glad I didn't go. Still it might prove to be useful training for the trip to Prague later in year.

Wouldn't worry about it too much, I was in Prague a few weeks ago and it's not just ridiculously great, it seemed pretty safe as well. According to Wikitravel, the majority of crime in Prague relates to car theft, that's why the crime stats are higher than other places.

I was with a group of about 30 in Barcelona last year, where a few people reported stuff going missing from the safe in our hotel in Salou. Not sure what happened there, but other than that all was well. But I've heard a lot of stories along the lines of what's been said here.

Sonnenblumen

Hi Milktrolley - agree that Prague is a nice city but far from being Toy Town. Was first there in 1994 and most recnt visit was in 2002. Big changes, back in the 90's the brazers were on the motorways and the kops were on the game. Scamming motorists for small motor offences speeding etc.

In the city money was scare and prices were low. Since the yanks started flocking there's been a western tourist invasion and everything changes.

Bars and restaurants are nice but need to be careful, especially after dark.

Still its a nice city with well established street crime.

Despite being neighbours the hatred of Germans was never far from view.

vibrant

I've read this thread and I'm a bit worried as I was thinking of booking a holiday to BCN this year.

In general when on holiday, I go around with my wits about me - handbag tight under my arm, with the zip at the front - no flashy jewellry - no obvious cash in pockets, etc etc etc but after reading this thread I don't know if any of that will make a blind bit of difference!!! And if stuff is being stolen out of safes in Salou...well I am actually just stunned at that. If the pickpockets are going around slashing peoples bags/clothes, "being sensible" counts for nothing.

I guess the point of my post is to ask - should I rule out a visit based on above posts? Let's take into account too the regions where these muggings/assaults (holy ****) took place - where abouts would you consider their counterparts to be in Dublin (I mean, would they be similiar in popularity/atmosphere as Dame Street or Upper O'Connell Street, or wherever, or are they more off the beaten track?

Basq

Was there last August for 10 days.. heard horror stories before going there.

But didn't pay much attention - kept my pocket in my back pocket most times going out and never robbed... spent almost every night down at the Ramblas.

Guess it depends!

spaceboy

I was in Barcelona last August with a few mates,stayed in a hotel near the bottom of Las Ramblas,did'nt have any problems,although there was a lot of street walkers & trannys around that particular area.I felt safe the whole time & never felt threatened once,I hope the crime level has'nt rised dramatically since then,I'm planning on going back in July

fastrac

beware the little gypsy(roman taxi Driver)

SarahSassy

I lived there for a year and never had a problem. Had my wallet stolen recently at 7pm on a Friday night in a very respectable pub in Dublin. It happens everywhere.
In saying that, minor crime is very prevalent in BCN but you would be safer walking around the city at night than in any Irish town / city.

Richie99

My uncle has lived in Barcelona for the last 5 years, and me and my family on seperate occasions have been to the city give or take over 20 times, and None of us have been pickpocketed. This is due to the i would always carry my wallet in my front pocket and leave all othere valuables at home. The pickpockets there are some of the best in the world, so NEVER, EVER put your wallet in your back pocket in Barcelona. And try leave all other valuables in a hotel/safe.

Also, the crime there, all they want is your money and they will pickpocket it from you without any harm. Compare that to Dublin nowadays where you hear of people getting mugged and beat up for €20. Never felt threathened walking around Barca at 2/3am in the morning. Can't say the same for some cities in Eire..