Pickpockets in Barcelona

[OZDUCK]

We have been in Barcelona for about three days now and I was beginning to think that the stories about pick-pocketing being rampant here were exaggerated. But I was wrong - my wallet is luckily still with me but not for wont of trying by the local pickpockets.

Today we were coming down from Park Guell on a packed local bus when 2 men got on. One of them kept looking at me oddly and moving around in my vicinity, I didn't immediately think of pickpockets but I certainly thought his behaviour was odd so every time he moved nearer to me I moved away. Eventually a Spanish couple who were getting off the bus asked me if I spoke English and then warned me, loudly, to watch my wallet around those 2 persons. The, possible, thieves got off the bus a few stops later.

After lunch we got onto a very crowded metro train. i felt a sort of tugging at my pocket but as I only had a cap in there I didn't take much notice and assumed someone was just trying to get through. The girl who was behind me then stood in front of me for a few stops. As we were coming up to a stop her hand jumped up towards my shirt pocket where my wallet was. It was a pretty clumsy move, perhaps the fact that I was about half a metre taller than her helped. I knocked her hand down and she and her "boyfriend" then got off and we stared at each other as the train pulled away. There was obviously no point in raising a fuss. In both cases the thieves had jumpers etc draped over their arms as a cover for hand movements.

Because of the pickpocket stories I had bought an extra wallet to use here. It only contains a small amount of cash plus my "overseas" cards - a 28 Degrees Credit Card & a Citibank Debit Card. My normal wallet with my everyday Credit & Debit cards and all my other cards are kept in the safe at our apartment.

 

[roadrunner]

This is exactly why we wear vests with inside deep pockets when we travel. We keep all wallets on the inside pockets which are nice and deep. Check out Columbia and there are other brands that can be purchased.

We have been in Barcelona for about three days now and I was beginning to think that the stories about pick-pocketing being rampant here were exaggerated. But I was wrong - my wallet is luckily still with me but not for wont of trying by the local pickpockets.

Today we were coming down from Park Guell on a packed local bus when 2 men got on. One of them kept looking at me oddly and moving around in my vicinity, I didn't immediately think of pickpockets but I certainly thought his behaviour was odd so every time he moved nearer to me I moved away. Eventually a Spanish couple who were getting off the bus asked me if I spoke English and then warned me, loudly, to watch my wallet around those 2 persons. The, possible, thieves got off the bus a few stops later.

After lunch we got onto a very crowded metro train. i felt a sort of tugging at my pocket but as I only had a cap in there I didn't take much notice and assumed someone was just trying to get through. The girl who was behind me then stood in front of me for a few stops. As we were coming up to a stop her hand jumped up towards my shirt pocket where my wallet was. It was a pretty clumsy move, perhaps the fact that I was about half a metre taller than her helped. I knocked her hand down and she and her "boyfriend" then got off and we stared at each other as the train pulled away. There was obviously no point in raising a fuss. In both cases the thieves had jumpers etc draped over their arms as a cover for hand movements.

Because of the pickpocket stories I had bought an extra wallet to use here. It only contains a small amount of cash plus my "overseas" cards - a 28 Degrees Credit Card & a Citibank Debit Card. My normal wallet with my everyday Credit & Debit cards and all my other cards are kept in the safe at our apartment.

 

[OZDUCK]

This is exactly why we wear vests with inside deep pockets when we travel. We keep all wallets on the inside pockets which are nice and deep. Check out Columbia and there are other brands that can be purchased.

That is a good idea for most places but the Metro here has the hottest stations I have ever come across. Most of them seem to have no forced ventilation. In anything more than a thin shirt I would just about faint.

 

[Deleted member]

I almost never use a wallet when I travel . I find that placing a single card or cards in one front pocket and cash in another works best.
NEVER put anything in your back pocket.
My other protection is a passport size pouch with lanyard to hang around my neck, which I wear next to my skin under my clothing. I don’t like backpacks either . I also ensure that when out walking I keep Mrs GPH on my inside next to buildings (where possible) etc, rather than next to the road. Mrs GPH had her phone stolen in Barcelona, and she knew immediately what she did wrong , but it all happens so quickly.

 

[Denali]

My husband prefers king-gee tradie long shorts with cargo pockets.

I replaced the pocket Velcro and there's no way anyone is opening the pockets without forceful tugging and it still won't open easily.

Thanks for the post

 

[cove]

My youngest son had a credit card and a debit card stolen and somehow the thief ran up $15,000 on the credit card and $2,000 on the debit card before he realized they were gone. A police report and a recovery have started.

 

[kermatu]

Good reminders. Thanks for the posts.

 

[drron]

Quite frankly the pickpockets in Barcelona are the worst in the world at their profession.Just to check a city I often fold some brochures and put them in my back pocket.The attempts in Barcelona were so clumsy.Asian pickpockets are much better.You often don't feel a thing.

 

[moa999]

A good warning.
And agressive to go for a wallet in a shirt pocket where any move would be far more visible

 

[Pleb Status]

The closest I have ever been to being pickpocketed was in a Barcelona train station.... Lucky they were not fast enough.

 

[Pushka]

Was robbed by a cyclo in Vietnam. Approached by gypsy scams in multiple countries. Friends had their combi van stolen in Barcelona that contained their souvenirs from 6 months of travel.

 

[OZDUCK]

The closest I have ever been to being pickpocketed was in a Barcelona train station.... Lucky they were not fast enough.

She was certainly not very fast. But I was at my most vulnerable point. Tired after walking all, day, jammed in and distracted by checking for our destination and letting my guard down a bit. I am lucky she was so unskilled in the actual picking bit.

 

[cove]

How do the thieves get to put largish transactions on a stolen credit card when they don’t know the PIN?
$15,000 in 36 hours seems pretty good without the bank credit card fraud area checking.

 

[kyle]

How do the thieves get to put largish transactions on a stolen credit card when they don’t know the PIN?
$15,000 in 36 hours seems pretty good without the bank credit card fraud area checking.

I've used my credit card in Hong Kong and Japan and at some terminals, PINs are not required.

Back on topic, it makes you wonder why there are so many thieves in that area and nothing's done about it.

 

[davidj]

Who was doing it? Locals? Or gypsies?

 

[OZDUCK]

Who was doing it? Locals? Or gypsies?

I would not hazard a guess.

 

[vetrade]

Who was doing it? Locals? Or gypsies?

Probably a mixture of both but you sure notice the non-locals more. We were walking down stairs in the BCN Metro a few years back and I sensed someone too close - looked sideways to see 2 black guys, one trying to undo the zip on my wife's shoulder bag. Instinct came to the fore and I suspect he still has trouble eating to this day.

Personally I think people are far too timid. On crowded transport why do people (tourists) act so passively even when they know they are being targeted? Pickpockets try to blend in and work unobtrusively. They sure aren't going to assault someone on a crowded train. If you feel targeted don't be embarrassed to yell out loudly "THIEF" and point at the culprits. You will draw the attention of every other passenger on the train and I bet the thieves won't be able to disappear quickly enough when they realise they have been exposed to everyone. I doubt they will want to stay and complain that you have unfairly accused them!

Pickpockets survive (thrive?) on the stupidity of tourists. There has been so much written about pickpockets and their ploys that if you have something stolen, you can only blame yourself for being dumb - don't pretend you were just unlucky. Before you even set off on a trip work out your strategies and don't let your guard down - have a foolproof place to keep your phone, wallet etc. Better still, get into good habits and implement your strategies into your everyday life, not just on trips. Don't do things like leave your purse in clear view on the top of your shopping cart at the supermarket while you search the shelves, something I see all the time.

 

[davidj]

The influx of immigrants into Europe isn't making the problem any better.

 

[Cossie]

Probably a mixture of both but you sure notice the non-locals more. We were walking down stairs in the BCN Metro a few years back and I sensed someone too close - looked sideways to see 2 black guys, one trying to undo the zip on my wife's shoulder bag. Instinct came to the fore and I suspect he still has trouble eating to this day.

Personally I think people are far too timid. On crowded transport why do people (tourists) act so passively even when they know they are being targeted? Pickpockets try to blend in and work unobtrusively. They sure aren't going to assault someone on a crowded train. If you feel targeted don't be embarrassed to yell out loudly "THIEF" and point at the culprits. You will draw the attention of every other passenger on the train and I bet the thieves won't be able to disappear quickly enough when they realise they have been exposed to everyone. I doubt they will want to stay and complain that you have unfairly accused them!

Pickpockets survive (thrive?) on the stupidity of tourists. There has been so much written about pickpockets and their ploys that if you have something stolen, you can only blame yourself for being dumb - don't pretend you were just unlucky. Before you even set off on a trip work out your strategies and don't let your guard down - have a foolproof place to keep your phone, wallet etc. Better still, get into good habits and implement your strategies into your everyday life, not just on trips. Don't do things like leave your purse in clear view on the top of your shopping cart at the supermarket while you search the shelves, something I see all the time.

On the train from Barcelona airport into the centre, a person told me I was being targeted/setup by a couple of guys, he spoke quite loudly to them in Spanish, others on the train didn't bat an eyelid, one of the guys targeting me made some rather rude hand gestures when we getting off at the station.

The guy that warned me said he was from Valencia and was switching trains where we got off at the main station, maybe not being a 'local' was what made him alert me. I'm fairly sure the others on the train couldn't have cared less about what may have happened to me and to other tourists, if they aren't involved in that industry themselves.

I've also had only one credit card skimmed and I'm fairly sure it was in Barcelona as well.

As discussed in other threads, a lot of people in Barcelona are very tired of tourists, perhaps another reason for the apathy?

 

[OZDUCK]

On the train from Barcelona airport into the centre, a person told me I was being targeted/setup by a couple of guys, he spoke quite loudly to them in Spanish, others on the train didn't bat an eyelid, one of the guys targeting me made some rather rude hand gestures when we getting off at the station.

The guy that warned me said he was from Valencia and was switching trains where we got off at the main station, maybe not being a 'local' was what made him alert me. I'm fairly sure the others on the train couldn't have cared less about what may have happened to me and to other tourists, if they aren't involved in that industry themselves.

I've also had only one credit card skimmed and I'm fairly sure it was in Barcelona as well.

As discussed in other threads, a lot of people in Barcelona are very tired of tourists, perhaps another reason for the apathy?

We had what was obviously a little "Revolutionary Bookshop" done the street from us in Barcelona. Three or four times there were groups of people outside it obviously preparing to change the world. In the window was a large poster - "Tourism kills cities".