Barcelona crime rate

[Boffinz]

Sorry to hear that! It's appalling that you took all the precautions and you still got mugged. Spain is a safe country with friendly people but pick pocketing and crime is becoming the downfall of Spain. It's true that petty theft like bag snatching is not taking seriously.

I suggest tourists to wear a money belt and watch your bags as Barcelona in particular has an issue with pick pocketing and stupid scams in the tourist areas like people asking for change so when you take out your wallet they'll grab it and run.

Originally Posted by ballinger

I have just returned from Barcelona and will never go back. There is crime in all cities, but it is absolutely rife here. I heard all the warnings and so took all necessary measures to protect myself. Unfortunately that was not enough. I was mugged at 3.30pm outside the Arts Hotel near the port just as I came out of the hotel with my boyfriend. Two young lads on a moped mounted the pavement ran straight into me and stole my handbag right out of my hands.

It took the police an hour to get to me and they did not seem concerned. When I arrived at the police station I was shocked to see the amount of tourists in the police station reporting bags and purses being stolen. One couple who had hired a car had their tyre deliberately punctured as a set up. A couple pretended to try and help and stole their bags out of the car (passports, cash, cards, camera etc).

The attitude of the police is appalling. It has become just a paper excercise so that people can go back home and claim on their insurance. They do not bother to speak to you they just give you a form to fill out, which they copy and give back to you.

They actually told me that they would not do anything about it. The interpreter said that is all he deals with all day is bag snatching and pickpocketing of tourists.

Apparently the attitude of the law is a contributing factor as even if they get caught the crime is not treated as significant and the perpetrator is let go to commit the crime again.

That probably explains why these crimes are carried out in broad daylight in such numbers.

The people at the hotel were not sympathtic or helpful at all. All I had was some cash that was in my pocket. They took all my cards and my boyfriends as his wallet was in my bag as well.

I never saw any police cars or police on foot the whole time I was there. Considering the amount of crime I would have thought that police presence would have been prominant.

I have never felt so unsafe and would have left sooner if I could have changed my flight, but as I had no cards to change my flight I had to stick it out.

[aceventurap]

it's true that there is a pick pocketing and bag snatching problem in Barcelona, but I blame it mostly on people. You can't just walk on La Rambla with your expensive camera and a map wide open without realizing you're screaming "i'm a tourists, come and rob me". You should go to a cafe or restaurant to see the map and be discreet for yikes sake..is that so difficult?!

Oh, by the way, don't think that the "prostitutes" won't rob you cos they will as they are very persistent even if you tell them to go away. Still, I wouldn't want to think that you went to Barcelona for the street-girls, did you?

[florence2]

I have lived in Barcelona for 20 years now and I wanted to reassure you folks that Barcelona is indeed a safe city. People who live in Barcelona don't ever dress in shorts on the metro or in centre of town, which is why tourist get targeted easily and get pick pocketed.

Also, in restaurants don't leave your bag on the floor or hanging over your chair especially in Ramblas area as they will pick it up or quickly cut the strap. I've seen this actually happen before my eyes where a woman left her bag on the back of her chair, and It was gone in minutes, and the restaurant was full.

[megatron2]

Funny I came across this thread about crime in Barcelona...anyway I travel a lot, and consider myself a careful tourist, however, on my second day in Barcelona, at Via Layetana, right in front of my hotel (Grand Hotel Central) a guy "casually" ask me for the time, pushes me then steals my wallet which was in my front pocket.

Just like that, I fall to the ground and had my arm broken. I went to a hospital (I always travel with insurance), receive medications, but the next day, i decided to come back home. I was really sad. It was the worst experience i had on a trip ever!

[yumakan2]

Oh no, another 'Barcelona isn't safe' thread. I feel sorry for what happened to you people, but no one is providing much information on how to deal with this situation. What time of the day id that happen? were you walking by yourself?

I know this is not the purpose of the thread, but it'd have been helpful if you people had also written whether there were other people around and whether somebody saw them afterwards and helped them to get to the nearest police station, etc.

[celonagh]

I got mugged last month just off the Ramblas and it was exactly as others have described on this forum. It happened in the blink of an eye and so fast that I didn't see it coming. Two lads took my wallet from my front pocket while chatting to me. I ran after the second guy who took my wallet which he threw across the street after I caught up with him!

The worse thing I can say about the incident isn't the crime itself but the relax attitude of passer byers who did and said nothing... I would love to go back with a baseball bat and a can of pepper spray....

[freddi01]

Crime is crime! It doesn't matter whether is violent or not..saying that tourists only have to face petty crime in Barcelona is ridiculous. How would you feel having your bag forcibly snatched? nonsense to the poster who said not to afraid. I've never been robbed in Barcelona, but I have seen it happen so many times, and thieves really don't seem to care doing it in broad-light and all...wtf?!

My advice is: don't behave and dress as the typical tourist. If you do this, Barcelona will seem you extremely quiet and pleasant.