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Report: Crime in Barcelona

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    #32
    skeogan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12 ✭skeogan


    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.

    seriously this is a fairly ignorant post.. you obviously have no idea how good these people are or have never been to the city, or been verylucky. i've been to the city twice and pickpocketed twice. i caught the guy the first time and was very lucky. next time i wasn't so lucky.

    they are absolute masters, i was over there recently in a wedding party of 60, quite possibly the party mentioned in the first post, and we were completely targetted. guys were following us and everything. thje majority of the group had a lot of travelling under their belts and were on the lookout but it didn't seem to stop them.

    i have friends who are from Barcelona and they reckon that the cops are gettin payoffs as its BIG BIG business.

    my sis was there for a onference last week and the situation was the same. people were targetted gettin of the subway the first morning. its very organised and they are very good

    its such a shame because the rest of the city is fantastic, but this is a big problem that is getting worse


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    #33
    dak
    Registered Users Posts: 2,577 ✭✭✭dak


    I went to Barcelona on Thursday with my wife and kids . The city is wonderful and if you take the turistic bus you see a lot. Unfortunately despite my best efforts my sat nav was stolen from my lower front pocket in about 3 seconds when boarding a crowded train. Ruined my day !! Worse than that I seemingly would have to go back to Barcelona to get a police report for insurance purposes - have been advised by holiday rep that the local police wont help. Guess thats the dearest one day out in my life!! Lifes a bummer. Also had a row with the wife over map reading !


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    #34
    Basq
    Registered Users Posts: 43,835 ✭✭✭✭Basq


    Shame to hear dak.

    Does anyone know if the crime situation in Madrid is similar? Going there in just over 2 weeks.


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    #35
    DadaKopf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,731 ✭✭✭DadaKopf


    I was in Barcelona last month. Contrary to what many people have said here, Barcelona is just fine so long as you use your common sense - opportunist pickpockets are common in touristic areas, but this is not a problem so long as you're careful.

    I made sure I had no valuables in my pockets - that meant keeping wallet, passport, camera and other things in my bag as much as possible.

    I don't know what it's like at night down near Ramblas late at night - it's definitely lively at night, but I'm not so sure it's 'intimidating'. Again, use you're common sense like anywhere else. I was staying in Grácia, fairly well off the beaten track in a residential area in the northern centre.

    I really found Barcelona just fine, and would go back in a heartbeat. That said, a few of my mates did have things stolen on them in bars - not mugged, which I would say is rare. That was because they were drunk, and forgot to play it safe.


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    #36
    dak
    Registered Users Posts: 2,577 ✭✭✭dak


    Common sense is good advise! Just be aware that when you are trying to do something like boarding a train with kids you do forget temporarily especially when the train doors are about to close!


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    #37
    Mickey G
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11 ✭Mickey G


    I spent a week living on the dodgy end of las ramblas. The only complaint i have is it was a little noisy at night.
    The atmosphere does however change markedly between 2/3 am. To be honest i would avoid walking alone on the lower end of the street after 3 am - it is intimidating and you will be approached and you may be robbed. The only people on the street then are the crooks, hookers and drunks. I ventured out once at that time and i wont do it again.
    Otherwise - and up to midnight/1am the street is probably safer than anywhere else in the city and this is quite a safe town as it is.


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    #38
    blorg
    Registered Users Posts: 15,989 ✭✭✭✭blorg


    Have been to Barcelona countless times, love the city. It is however without doubt the dodgiest place I've ever been with regard to pickpockets, they are very good. I had my passport lifted a few years back and have seen countless attempts on others, generally on the Ramblas or the Metro. I found the police sympathetic, not a lot they can do though.

    basquille- I've had a camera nicked in Madrid and attempted pickpocketing on the Metro (bag undone, nothing taken though.) I've also witnessed attempts on others, always on the Metro. HOWEVER I still wouldn't think it's as bad as Barcelona!

    Out of ~20 other countries I've never had anything nicked anywhere else, or seen anyone else targetted. Still love Spain though, and indeed have never had a whiff of a problem outside Barcelona/Madrid.

    Probably the place you need to be most careful is the Metro when it's crowded, if you have a bag make sure it's on your front, (why do you think Spanish students do that eh) wallets in front pockets, etc.


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    #39
    mental07
    Closed Accounts Posts: 994 ✭✭✭mental07


    vibrant wrote:
    should I rule out a visit based on above posts?
    No. I had my wallet stolen on a packed metro a couple of years back (from a zipped pocket - grrr) but it wouldn't stop me going back.

    Just be careful. As you would be in any city, Dublin included.


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    #40
    RE*AC*TOR
    Registered Users Posts: 7,482 ✭✭✭RE*AC*TOR


    I had a camera stolen in Barcelona. Again on a busy metro.


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    #41
    Mr Magnolia
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 10,432 Mod ✭✭✭✭Mr Magnolia


    Same as DadaKopf.

    I was in Barcelona last year and had no bad experience at all. I'm always fairly careful with the cash and camera etc but I did pay extra attention to it while over there due to all the warnings I'd received.

    It's a pity people have had so many bad experience, it really is a great city.


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    #42
    legallyconfused
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3 ✭legallyconfused


    Only place I ever got pickpocketed was Baggot Street, Dublin, broad daylight at lunchtime...Wouldnt base a travel decision on horror stories, within reason! Only way to find out about a place is to go and see for yourself!;)


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    #43
    parsi
    Site Banned Posts: 5,904 ✭✭✭parsi


    I was there in November at a conference and a colleague was caught by the fake cop scam just outside the conference centre. When he mentioned it to the Information Desk he was told that there had been a rake of robberies at the conference the previous week.

    For the rest of the week there were cops all around the centre.

    As a city I found it a bit intimidating but away from Las Ramblas was nice and quiet with just ordinary folk which made it more pleasant.


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    #44
    darrenh
    Registered Users Posts: 685 ✭✭✭darrenh


    barcelona in my opinion is the best city in europe but everything good and bad you hear about las ramblas is true. it is full of crooks and scammers.they play that game with the three egg cups and the ball and you have to guess which egg cup the ball is under. one of the people working with then will throw in €20 and win and then €50 and loose. they then lift the egg cup with the ball underneath it to slightly reveal the ball so that now the surrounding tourists think they know where the ball is but quick as a flash they move it again. tourists now think they are on to a good thing and the north african crooks pull in a tourist holding his/her arm. if they will not part with there money they promise them the win and to do it just for the public and they can have there money back then. they make you put your foot on the cup you know/think the ball is in but which is most definately not in. then they reveal that it is in another cup and you realise you've been had. a man then starts to walk you away as you get angry saying 'mafia mafia no mess, dangerous mafia' while the scum that have scammed you run down the nearest tube. all this happens in less than a minute and by the time its over your left very confussed wondering how the hell did i fall for that. i should i know i was one of them. but what annoyed me even more is that i had watched them all week at work. they purposely let you see the ball and are very forceful when they pull you in. he swore he would return the money if i just did it for the public. with so many people watching you feel he will. its the man that walks you away that is the real con. you follow him thinking he will return the money but by the time you realise the scammers are gone. i know people will say arent you the bigger ejit but trust me they are good at. it was 2 months ago now and i still get pissed of when i think of it.
    other than that barcelona is brilliant. its my favorite city and for something bad like that to happen and still rate it as top says alot!


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    #45
    Frankieboy
    Registered Users Posts: 341 ✭✭Frankieboy


    I read the first page of this thread, and still decided to book flights to Barcelona, but since reading them all now, I'm feeling less sure about my decision. I'm stil going to go, and appreciate everyone sharing their experiences, as now I'll be extra vigilant.

    It kind of a given though that a city of it's size and popularity is going to have a high crime rate. Whenever I'm in any major/medium sized city in europe I try be aware of people around me, and try keep belongings in my eyeline.

    I'm going to Barcelona at the end of the month for a week, and while I'm still going to be conscious of people pickpocketing, what I'm worried about at the moment is accommodation. It'll be more than likely a hostel, and whats peeing me off is reading reviews of places saying they have no locks on doors when they advertise as having them. I'm probably being paranoid, whatever happens happens and should just avoid carrying a lot with me.

    Has anyone had any problems with things being taken from accommodation?


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    #46
    Maximilian
    Legal Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 5,400 Mod ✭✭✭✭Maximilian


    Its a really lovely city, its just such a shame the crime there is so bad. I've been to cities all over Europe and Barcelona is the worst I have encountered. Just make sure you don't bring anything out with you that you can't afford to lose, especially around the Ramblas area. I think the hotels are probably all fine. Also the Port Olympic area was nice and fairly safe - I saw bouncers make beelines for and forceably eject pickpockets, who they all seemingly know.


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    #47
    keefg
    Registered Users Posts: 3,187 ✭✭✭keefg


    Jeez....Barcalona sounds like somewhere to avoid at all cost.

    I also hear it full of Spaniards:D


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    #48
    hot fuss
    Closed Accounts Posts: 421 ✭✭hot fuss


    Barcelona does have a bad rep for petty crime - sounds warranted from posts on this thread.

    It can happen anywhere though. We got mugged in Seville by two guys with a big, f*ck off knife and a gun. The police said that this was very rare, but it goes to show it can happen in any city.. If you thought about it too much, you'd never go anywhere, but you really can't let it put you off travelling..


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    #49
    Mr Magnolia
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 10,432 Mod ✭✭✭✭Mr Magnolia


    Agree with Hot Fuss. I'd hate to think people were put off traveling to Barcelona.


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    #50
    Mr Magnolia
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 10,432 Mod ✭✭✭✭Mr Magnolia


    I was reminded of this last night. It's an absolute must for anyone traveling to Barcelona. I was mad envious coming out that we don't have a food market that comes close in Ireland.

    Boqueria Market


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    #51
    eve
    Registered Users Posts: 427 ✭✭eve


    I was in Barcelona in April and reading this thread has brought back all the horrible memories of my first day there. My partner and I had just arrived and were on a train from the airport to the city centre. Some musicians got on and played a song. They then went up the length of the carriage to collect money and my partner took his wallet out and dropped some money in. We don't know if it was someone connected to the musicians but someone was watching where he put his wallet (Unfortunately he put it in his bag as he was wearing jeans and thought a zipped pocket was safer).

    At our stop we stood up to get off. I got off first and looked back to see that he had got held up by an apparently old woman. As soon as he stepped on the platform he knew something was wrong. He said he thought he had been robbed and after checking the pocket that had contained his wallet, he dropped his bags beside me and ran off. I was completely in shock and started to cry. I took our bags over to the wall and sat on them and waited for him to come back. A few people did come up to me in the 10 mins he was gone but I was so wary because of what happened that I wouldn't really talk to them.

    Eventually he came back with a police man and we were directed to go back a station and report it. In the time we were there 3 other people came in after having something stolen. It was a horrible experience and I just wanted to go back to the airport and get the first flight home. We went to our hotel and spoke to his family who told us to take it easy and stay where we were for a few hours.

    In the end we decided to stay for the time we had originally planned and I am glad we did. If we had left my only memories on Barcelona would have been horrible ones. But now I have memories, momentos and photos of the city and what we did. The markets were fabulous and it was great to see the Olympic area as it was the earlies Olympics I remember. We also got to see sagrada Familia, the zoo and numerous other places I can't remember right not.

    We didn't take public transport for the rest of the week-I would highly recommend a 2 Day ticket for the Bus Turistic. Take the Blue line one day and the red the other. We did spend a lot of time on the Ramblas but the events of the first day may us far more aware of who was around us and being able to spot a trap/scam. For anyone intending to go to the city there are a few sites on the net about security in the city. One of the best sites was http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/ and in particular their 'Safety Tips' section.


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    #52
    fifib
    Registered Users Posts: 1,463 ✭✭✭fifib


    i just came back from barceloina yesterday and have to say i was petrified of being mugged out there but we had no problems. we were a group of 5 girls too. only problems we had were being leered at by the men. I was grabbed twice by them, was rotten but that was only problem we had
    you do have to be very careful tho. barmen kept telling us to hold on tight to our bags


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    #53
    Ninja_scrotum
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 510 ✭✭✭Ninja_scrotum


    Barcelona is the safest city I've ever visited!!!!

    Been to Paris, Amsterdam, London, Dublin, San Jose, California..... All of these were much much worse than Barcelona!!!

    I don't know how so many of you got into trouble.

    I was there for 3 days last month, at the HEIGHT of the tourist season, so there must have been the maximum amount of scum around.

    The first night I arrived I was on my own until about 11.30pm, my two mates got a different flight than me. So after leaving my stuff in the hostel at about 6pm, I spent the rest of the night wandering around the streets, on my own, getting lost all over the place..... and I remember feeling the safest I've ever felt in any city/town. Nobody hassled me at all.

    Then I met up with my mates at 11.30pm with all my cash and belongings still in my pockets. Then we went exploring the streets with lots of cervezas.

    Every night I was drinking cans out on the streets till 4am. Never got any hassle, never saw anything dodgy (except for that ball in a cup scam), felt 100% safe, even hangin around the Arc de Triomph at 2am. We weren't a large group or anything, a maximum of 4 people at any given time.

    At ~ 4am friday and saturday night, me and my spanish girlfriend walked all the way to her apartment (located about 15-20mins walk north of la Ramblas) without getting mugged/raped/shot/blown up/whatever. Nathin.


    Seems you were either very unlucky, or had big tourist heads on ye.

    It's a fantastic city.


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    #54
    Spider_Baby
    Closed Accounts Posts: 206 ✭✭Spider_Baby


    My camera was robbed out of my hand just off Ramblas. The guy then ran down some alleyways and through a market. All the locals denied ever seeing him though. We chased him for a bit but lost him.


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    #55
    mental07
    Closed Accounts Posts: 994 ✭✭✭mental07


    keefg wrote:
    I also hear it full of Spaniards:D
    Careful now.....they're Catalans!! :D


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    #56
    slave1
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 18,823 Mod ✭✭✭✭slave1


    another case of been pickpocketed, rampant based on our groups experience over one long weekend, place was nice but you really can't afford to take your hands out of your pocket whilst around any sort of crowds, would never recommend the place, shame really

    My stuff for sale on Adverts inc. outdoor furniture, roof box and EDDI

    My Active Ads (adverts.ie)



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    #57
    rossie1977
    Registered Users Posts: 11,343 ✭✭✭✭rossie1977


    just back from a few days in barcelona, really nice city, didn't see any crime. Having been to oakland, amsterdam, naples i was expecting much worse in barcelona but nothing. Saw a big student type non-violent demo on sunday night but the cops escorted the main players back to their hotels quickly.

    saw a dude with a broken foot slip and fall over on the street, they wash the streets in barcelona, so be careful about slipping, the fella was in agony. Walked all over barcelona from Park Güell in the north to the beach in the south, camp nou in the west and to the top of montjuic for an amazing view over the whole city from the castle. Everyone seems to be very wary of their surroundings though, women are very careful with their bags etc i noticed, most unlike many other major cities i have been to.

    Disappointed the magic fountain or the lights on torre agbar were not working though, why oh why do they only have them on only 2 days a week :mad:

    Overall i would recommend barcelona to everyone, its easily up there with rome, venice and san francisco in terms of beauty


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    #58
    damoz
    Registered Users Posts: 789 ✭✭✭damoz


    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.

    I have never been picked yet either - but Barca was the one place where i was close - Some kid had it half way out of my front pocket before i noticed. We also spent a while sitting on the ramblas (beer in hand) watching the local scobes pick off the tourists. Its one of (train stations in eastern europe are worse!) the worst places for petty crime - so id say take only what you need out with you and dont fall asleep on the underground !


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    #59
    SheroN
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,972 ✭✭✭SheroN


    Friend of mine got mugged there a few years ago. He was given a black eye and they bit his fingers to get his wedding ring off.


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    #60
    siobhan.murphy
    Registered Users Posts: 1,340 ✭✭✭siobhan.murphy


    God I'm off to barcelona in Feb.with my two boys and husband,Im kinda worried about it now!


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    #61
    blorg
    Registered Users Posts: 15,989 ✭✭✭✭blorg


    Was there immediately before Christmas and didn't get robbed even once this time. Some excellent restaurants- Ánima and more particularly Silenus (both on C/Àngels in Raval, near the modern art museum- note bit of a dodgy area) were particularly good, and at very reasonable prices that wouldn't get you anything worthwhile in Dublin. Was less impressed by a very expensive lunch at Tragaluz- decent but overpriced, and the service was bad (starter did not arrive before main course!) 4Gats had a typical cheap menú del día but in a nice space. Some nice wine bars too with really good bottles at very low markups from retail.


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