To ask if Barcelona is unsafe

[Thepinkyponkc]

I’m off to Barcelona with 13 friends (all women) 30-50s age. I haven’t been for a few years , but when I did we’ve never had any safety problems with muggings etc and I had a handbag , phone and money in there . Quite a few people are telling me it’s now rife for mugging- phones, Jewellery etc. Is this the case? I was planning on taking a shoulder cross over bag and putting my things in it but I’m worried now I might have to take an old phone and hide my cc down my bra 🤣 is it really this extreme?!

We were there three weeks ago and an elderly Japanese man had his rucksack snatched from his back in the Parc de Cuitadella. Very planned, slick and targeted. Three men involved, one distracted him, one grabbed his arm and spun him round and the third removed his rucksack while he was being spun. Police arrived very quickly on motorbikes but they were long gone. You really do need to be vigilant.

I've travelled a lot, I've been pickpocketed more than once. I was in BCN last month with my family, including two teenage kids and didn't feel unsafe once. We travelled round the city lots, on foot and by metro and no one felt unsafe, there were no threats and it was a fabulous holiday. Not much more to say, really

My friend had her suitcase taken as we were checking in, in the hotel lobby. Shouted at him and he dropped it. Was only 1m away but all was fine and didn’t feel unsafe at all.

@Fr7fr6 "I know someone whose suitcase was stolen on the train and another whose phone was swiped out of their hands. Both well seasoned travellers. I think it's a city where you need to be extra vigilant."

As opposed to which other big city?

Be wary of pickpockets

i also caught someone looking up my skirt in the park

Many of the other comments are saying similar things. Of course you need to be vigilant wherever you go, but Barcelona has a reputation for a reason. There are cities where you don't need the same level of awareness. Many Nordic cities for example. Of course it still happens, but not on the same scale.

I know two people who have been mugged there.

My experience is that there's more bag snatching/pickpocketing than most cities I've been to. But not to the point that the city itself is unsafe. I wouldn't carry any unnecessary valuables that could be quickly snatched, but I wouldn't worry about jewellery. Every experience I've had or story I've heard about theft in Barcelona has been quick snatches, not muggings.

My Mum went with some friends 2 years ago. She had her purse stolen out of her crossbody bag. A young woman kept pressing up against her on a busyish train. Luckily someone noticed and chased after the woman and got my Mum’s purse back. It really frightened my Mum though.

We went 15 years ago and loved it, and didn’t have any trouble at all.

As in any city I use a cross body bag with a zip closure and wear it under my coat, jacket or overshirt. I keep my hand on the bag when passing through busy places such as stations and keep bag on my lap when seated.
in the Paris Metro I felt someone attempting to cut my bag strap; everyone was being jostled and it felt unsafe. I shouted and they stopped. ( couldn’t see which person was responsible.)
keep passports, spare cards etc in the safe. I have seen people with small backpacks wearing them on their front.
DD and her friends were robbed in Barcelona on a school trip several years ago.

Watch out not just for a typical sneaky muggings but there are scammer types as well (also happens in London I know) who use innocent looking women to come up and ask you something (sometimes with a baby) while their mate is swiping something from you.

Again this happens in quite a few European cities but I know for a fact this is an issue in Barcelona.

Also the ladies that offer you lucky heather etc , best to avoid.

www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mb6music/A83269560

This is a bit out-of-Date but a good heads-up for the scams.

We went in November and had no issues, although it was fairly quiet at that time. Just be on alert down Las Ramblas and other busy areas and take a bit of extra precaution to make sure nothing is easy to swipe.

I hadn't heard the rumour, I didn't think it was any more unsafe than any other capital city. You need to take care and avoid being mugged, anywhere.

For those mentioning dirt, drains smell etc. Barcelona and region is in a severe and long lasting drought, so obviously washing things has been reduced as part of emergency measures.

I was getting off the train from the airport and found a women arm deep in my back pack. Loads of people around, saw what was going on and did nothing, suggesting to me it’s just normal!

I'm from Spain and Barcelona is well known for pickpockets and petty thieves. They work in gangs and they are extremely quick and skilled. They operate in the metro and busy areas. So, I recommend one of those wallets that you hang from your neck and sits under your top, and do not walk with your phone in your hand.

I've never been mugged in Barcelona, but when you look as a tourist , you are a bigger target

We were also in Barcelona in February and it was fine BUT it wasn’t super busy. There were a few slightly dodgy looking young men around but no more so than anywhere else. I think most euro cities with loads of tourists have a level of pickpocketing but just be aware of people standing close and you’ll be fine.

I loved it and would definitely return.

I had someone try to pick pocket me in Florence, they had a scarf draped over their arm and kind of sidled towards me, but I gave her a stern look and pulled my bag towards me and she sidled away.

I should have mentioned that someone attempted to mug DD recently on the Paris Metro.

Just to give some balance!

I had my purse nicked there, but it was years ago now. Pickpocketing was absolutely rife then. Around the same time I heard of 6 blokes at a football match, all of whom had their wallets nicked!

I’d still be very vigilant now.

Weirdly, I used to hear about muggings and pickpockets in Barcelona all the time about twenty years ago, but several people I know visited recently and said it was fine. I got the impression it had calmed down.

Most major cities are a bit risky for tourists.

That is a well known ploy of thieves everywhere. Best never to leave your phone on a cafe or bar table wherever you are.

I've been several times and also used to live there. Never had a problem at all.

These phone lanyard things are a good idea too. If someone tries to grab your phone , they grab you with it :

It's just a city, be reasonably cautious, especially in busy areas.

I stopped an American woman in Leicester Square, because her backpack was open with wallet and phone on display. "OH MY GAAAAD, is it so unsafe in London!?!?" was squealed at me. Well yeah, like every other city in the world, if you flash money then there will be very lucky if there is no pickpocket on standby to take advantage.