So, who's been pickpocketed in Barcelona?

[editor]

It's been described as the "pickpocket capital of the World" and this article describes a formidable array of techniques used by ne'er do wells, included a heap of cunning distraction techniques.

So I was wondering: have any urbs had the contents of their pockets purloined in Barca?

 

[weltweit]

I have been .. by a bloody child!!

 

[editor]

I have been .. by a bloody child!!

What happened?

 

[weltweit]

I was taking a photograph in the main square above the Ramblas at night, I had my camera on a tripod and was focussing or something when I felt a hand going into my coat pocket. I grabbed the hand and turned around only to see a very scared looking little boy who wrenched his hand away and ran off.

I checked my pockets and finally was able to work out that all he had probably taken was a packet of chewing gum, not much of a haul! Anyhow on reviewing my photographs later I noticed in a couple of shots taken before he tried to pick my pocket - he was in the images in front of me, standing next to and talking to this older man. I supposed that the older man was probably his handler.

Incidentally I spent a lot of time in Barcelona and this was the only time I was targetted. I spent just a week in Rome and was set upon by a couple of teenage pickpockets in a much worse incident.

 

[5t3IIa]

Yes!!11! Well, not me, my boif. We were there for Xmas and got pissed on Xmas Eve and he got pickpocketed [after I'd stomped off in a mood cuz he was being a wanker] by some chap offering him a light. We were left with nothing, on Christmas Day, except the pickpocket's Clipper

 

[spanglechick]

never been pickpocketed in barca, rome, paris or elsewhere. grew up keeping a tight hand on my bag as second nature.

 

[weltweit]

When I was in Rome I was walking along a pavement with my ex and a couple of teenage girls came the other way. When they got closer one of them bumped directly into me and at the same time I felt a hand going into my trouser pocket. I grabbed the hand and started shouting loudly at the two girls, the one who had her hand in my pocket withdrew it and I let her arm go, I was still shouting at them in english - they made off empty handed.

 

[Lo Siento.]

they tried numerous times when I was there for a few months a few years back. On the bright side there's no mugging, which is nice.

 

[Treacle Toes]

they tried numerous times when I was there for a few months a few years back. On the bright side there's no mugging, which is nice.

Not true unfortunately. I have quite a few good friends that live there and know this not to be true. Less common, but there nonetheless.

 

[Lo Siento.]

Not true unfortunately. I have quite a few good friends that live there and know this not to be true. Less common, but there nonetheless.

well, an exaggeration obviously, it's not that prevelant compared to here...

 

[mack]

My dad got done on the metro on the way to the airport, he had a really bad back ache and was grateful for the assistance of some kindly Spanish folk in helping him get settled on the train. It was only when he got to the airport that he realised he'd been done....passports and cards.

 

[joustmaster]

I went on a stag night there last summer. Over a long weekend, something like 3 or 4 out of 10 got robbed. And it wasn't just pissed up idiots on the trip.

One guy got pick pocketed without noticing. Another was mugged with a knife. One was threatened.
I lost 50 euro. But I I am pretty sure I spent that and don't remember, as it had been safely tucked in my wallet.

And the 60 year old father of the bride got the wallet pulled from his shirt pocket. Although this time the mugger got caught by the groom to be, who punched the living fuck out of his face, until the muggers accomplice smashed the grooms lip open with his boot. The best part being that the groom was dressed in Shiny red spandex suit as worn by little Britain's only gay in the village.

 

[weltweit]

I went on a stag night there last summer. Over a long weekend, something like 3 or 4 out of 10 got robbed. And it wasn't just pissed up idiots on the trip. ...

You make it sound like a crime zone - that has not been my experience - I have been going to Barcelona for years and years and only once had an issue.

 

[King Biscuit Time]

My friends did. Well, I say pickpocketed more bag swiped off the back of a sunlounger at the beach. They spent the weekend eating at their hotel off a credit card and begging the hotel to overcharge them and give them back some cash so they could get out. The hotel refused.

 

[joustmaster]

You make it sound like a crime zone - that has not been my experience - I have been going to Barcelona for years and years and only once had an issue.

Its just the facts of the weekend.
Still had a good time, through the trips to multiple trips to the police station, hospital, and calls to insurance companies!

 

[weltweit]

And .. And .. I know people from there, Spanish people and they have never mentioned being pick pocketed ..

Do they not target Spanish people perhaps.

 

[Blagsta]

Been there 3 times and never been pickpocketed.

 

[5t3IIa]

Bag snatching is mugging, isn't it?

My mate lived in Barcelona near some bag snatchers. They'd often just take the cash and sling the bags out into the garden. We had a nose around and found one with a passport in so decided to be good citizens and take it to the cop shop. I decided to be a bad citizen and keep the rather nice bag

So, queuing in the police station to hand in the passport and the owner was only standing ahead of us, waiting to report it stolen Naturally, I took my stuff out of the bag and handed it over also. She was so pleased to see her passport that, apart from a confused frown, she didn't question the bag business.

Not my finest moment, but strangely not so bad.

 

[spanglechick]

bag dipping counts as pickpocketing, though.

 

[Maggot]

My step-father got pick-pocketed on an escalatorin Barcelona. They rinsed his credit card for about £5,000.

 

[weltweit]

It's been described as the "pickpocket capital of the World" and this article describes a formidable array of techniques used by ne'er do wells, included a heap of cunning distraction techniques.

So I was wondering: have any urbs had the contents of their pockets purloined in Barca?

It is a good article and now that I have read it I do recall suffering "the diners trick" .. .A group of us were eating and a couple of people came to the next door table, they did not stay long and after they had gone we noticed that someone's purse was missing from their bag. The only thing is I can't remember where this happenned, could have been Barca, could have been London.

 

[xes]

no, but I've never been to Barcalona.

 

[Sweet Meiga]

Luckily it's never happened to me but a couple of friends were mugged in Barcelona

 

[Pickman's model]

i was. they got some dry tobacco.

 

[wemakeyousoundb]

never, guess I don't fit the profile and I usually don't do tourist hangouts/areas so much either.

 

[gaijingirl]

I'm lucky - I've been several times but not been pickpocketed. However, I lived for a while in Valencia and a friend of mine went to live in Barcelona at the same time. When she arrived - with all her worldly possessions in her suitcases - passports etc - she literally got done the day she arrived. They actually stole EVERYTHING - including her passport. She was left stood in this coffee shop - having just arrived in the country with NOTHING.

Then I had friends come to visit me from Japan. They were approached by someone asking for directions and as they tried to read a map - the accomplice slit open their backpacks from behind and robbed them. On top of that - their suitcases got done over at the airport whilst in the luggage place before being put on the plane. My friend Seiko had a £10 note that she had been given as a child and kept with the dream of one day being able to visit the UK - ROBBED by some Barcelona baggage handler!

 

[ChrisFilter]

Never been, but heard plenty of stories. My Mum punched someone once. Go Mum!

4 men pretending to be police bullied my 85yr old grandparents in an attempt to get them to hand over their passports. My Granddad styled it though

 

[porno thieving gypsy]

Spent 3 days there paranoid someone would try something, thankfully no one did!

 

[Lea]

Been there 3 times over the last 20 years and have never had any problems. However, almost got pickpocketed getting on to a bus in in Budapest. That's the only time I've ever had any problems during my travels.

 

[King Biscuit Time]

Been there 3 times over the last 20 years and have never had any problems. However, almost got pickpocketed getting on to a bus in in Budapest. That's the only time I've ever had any problems during my travels.

I think I got pickpocketed in Budapest, in a Turkish restaurant near the Oktagon. At the time I thought I had just left my phone on the table because I was dazed after spending 5 hours in a variety of hot rooms and liquids at the Szechenyi Baths, but it was probably dipped out of my coat pocket.