Warning: Pick pocketing in barcelona

[orchid72]

Can I ask those of you who have been to Barcelona, how are we Americans to dress so as not to stand out? Our normal attire would be jeans, sneakers, jackets and DH probably in a baseball cap. Won't have any bling on.

 

As has been pointed out before, one can not truly not stand out. No matter what you do, you will eventually be pegged as a tourist.

 

Only thing you can do is not advertise yourself as a target by being understated. You've already got one of the important things figured out, which is not to have any bling on. Another thing is to leave the flashy purses, clothes, etc at home (even if your flashy stuff is fake - sometimes people can not tell, which makes it even worse). Don't know what else to say other than what has already been said on this thread and other threads on CC. Bottom line is, you will never be able to truly blend in; you can only try to be as discreet and understated as you can and ALWAYS be vigilant and aware of your surroundings.

 

That said, DH is European - he said it is sometimes easy to spot N.Americans. Some dead give-aways are: baseball caps (esp if it is on backwards), hoodies with university logos/names, white running shoes (different from the sneakers they usually wear there - think adidas runners vs lacoste sneakers), shorts (which for most Europeans is usually only worn on the beach), and Hawaiian shirts. Don't treat this as gospel, though. This is just one man's opinion.

[PenelopeCorelli]

We saw lots of shorts worn by Europeans - it's hot in July & I was surprised that it's not only Americans who dress this way. I probably would avoid the cap. I didn't see those often, and it stands out more. A confident, determined walk & dark glasses (so they can't see where your eyes are looking) are 2 ideas to cause thieves to pick an easier target. I did not see any pp in Barcelona, although I did see a gypsy or two; they were probably looking for a mark - and we weren't it.

 

Beggar kids would walk around with their hands open; we just ignored them. Don't know if they did more than beg. Beggar women would kneel on the ground in a shroud and clasp their hands in prayer with a cup in front of them. More effective, but they don't bother anyone.

[dalgirl]

Thought I would jump back in - I told one of our European customers now living in the US that I would be traveling to Barcelona and she volunteered that I should be very careful - she says the only time she was ever pickpocketed while traveling in Europe was in Barcelona (she says they are the best in the world) and Amsterdam (she speculated it was the drug culture). She says you are fairly safe most other places. She was at a conference in Barcelona and around 13 of her fellow attendees were robbed in one day. I am definitely taking that taxi from the airport - but I will still tour and have a good time, I will just make sure to stay aware and leave all my "real money" at the hotel. Oh, and DH bought a $10 watch with a 24 hour time setting at Walmart - the velcrow band should make sure that he knows if it is "peeled" off and it looks pretty darn good too:)

[CruisingGoddess]

In case anyone else is interested in investing in PacSafe products, I just got my order from this web site:

 

http://www.corporatetravelsafety.com

 

Free shipping for orders over $75. I got a PacSafe handbag and PacSafe wallet w/chain for my husband. We also bought Rick Steve's money belt. Hopefully, along with being aware of our surroundings, these items will help!

[lost in translation]

In case anyone else is interested in investing in PacSafe products, I just got my order from this web site:

 

http://www.corporatetravelsafety.com

 

Free shipping for orders over $75. I got a PacSafe handbag and PacSafe wallet w/chain for my husband. We also bought Rick Steve's money belt. Hopefully, along with being aware of our surroundings, these items will help!

 

Pacsafe products are also available in some stores. Last year I got my purse and camera strap at Sports Chalet. I think that is the only store in the Phoenix area that sells them. The pacsafe website lists stores that sell them. (DH ordered his money belt online from pacsafe a couple months ago because he couldn't find them at Sports Chalet but I saw them there a couple days ago.)

 

Reading these posts I have gone back and forth on carrying a purse but I think I am better off with the pacsafe purse cross-body like I did last year rather than trying to put my camera, etc. in my underwear or something.:)

[MISSYLOU]

lost in translation: Thanks for your post. Glad you won't have camera in your underwear.:D:eek:

 

I hope you will post how Barcelona was after your cruise.

[Andym]

This is what you are up against. Close up you can't see them, at a distance you always will spot them

 

[Bobal]

Concerning Barcelone pick pockets.

Are there police at the airport, train stations, etc. in Barcelona? What will the Barcelona police do if you catch or slug a pickpocket?

 

Short answer - nothing. The police are innundated with victims of pickpockets in Barcelona. Writing to the authorities will have no effect whatsoever, they are fully aware of the situation but overwhelmed by it. I've visited Barcelona a few times and in my research (mainly on Trip Advisor) I read about what a very real problem it is. For those who say it happens everywhere - yes, it does but nowhere near on the scale in happens in Barcelona. I know personally 5 people who've been pickpocketed - 4 of those were in Barcelona

 

I carried a backpack but padlocked together the zipper ends and always carried it on my front when on the metro. Be particularly vigilant on the metro as a favourite trick is to pick a wallet just as the door is closing, leaving the victim on the train and the thief at the station. Ramblas (particularly watching street entertainers) is also a prime location for pickpockets. Don't ever wear a wallet in a back pocket - even if it's buttoned or zippered.

 

To those who say try to blend in I would say just wear what's comfortable, you're on vacation and shouldn't have to not wear shorts, baseball caps etc and not be able to consult maps. Just show that you're being vigilant, look around you, don't be afraid to make eye contact with someone you feel is suspicious - they'll soon melt away if they think they've been clocked.

 

Barcelona is a stunning city and one which I wouldn't hesitate to revisit, but it's also the city where I've felt most under threat of pickpockets.

[MAZANDSTEVE]

I also posted a warning after my cruise parting from Barcelona.

Pick pockets are everywhere, we could spot some of them too, the airport is a main target. We spoke to a number of people on our cruise who had been a victim and they hadnt even got out of the airport when this happened. One lady had her passport taken too and then had to wait for the embassy to open on the Monday to get this sorted, she missed a few days of her cruise.

They have a huge problem there, the one thing I noticed was, there are not enough police, the whole 2 days we were there we never seen a single police car or police man, if they mingled a bit more with the crowds it might be more of a determent.

On the way home, we were at the airport and were looking at the menu on the wall, when I turned round my hand baggage was open, nothing was taken because there was only cosmetics in it.

[Bobal]

You may find this link useful: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g187497-s206/Barcelona:Spain:Health.And.Safety.html

 

The problem is so widely recognised that they made a 'sticky' of it on the Barcelona forum.

[HMSDingy]

If you search for Las Ramblas on Google check out the street view. This is one way of seeing how the locals dress. Are we to believe that all who have knapsacks are tourists?

[boykin]

how do you carry a camera?

[cruisemom42]

If you search for Las Ramblas on Google check out the street view. This is one way of seeing how the locals dress. Are we to believe that all who have knapsacks are tourists?

 

Probably; other than tourists, very few people hang out on Las Ramblas. ;)

[CruisingGoddess]

If you search for Las Ramblas on Google check out the street view. This is one way of seeing how the locals dress. Are we to believe that all who have knapsacks are tourists?

 

I actually did what you said and went to Google's street view. It appeared to me that those with backpacks were either students or tourists. So if I saw people who were not college-aged wearing backpacks, yes, I'd think they were tourists.

 

Oddly enough, it also appears that locals do not wear their purse straps over their chests. They just wear them over the shoulder. However, I'm not going to risk it. Since I'm Asian, I'm going to stand out anyway!

[Got2Cruise]

Probably; other than tourists, very few people hang out on Las Ramblas. ;)

Well who are buying all those pets? And the locals also shop at the market.

[MISSYLOU]

GOT2CRUISE: Since you just returned from the med, did you witness pickpockets or have any negative experiences in Barcelona?

[cruisemom42]

Well who are buying all those pets? And the locals also shop at the market.

 

 

I didn't say that locals didn't go there; but if they do, they probably don't stay long.

 

Regarding the market, read response #1 from the Tripadvisor post here:

 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g187497-i44-k2652078-l16707463-Food_markets_and_general_markets-Barcelona_Catalonia.html#16707463

 

To quote: "....the most famous food market is Sant Josep (better known as La Boqueria). Very nice, stunning displays of all kinds of food... but always crowded, very touristy and quite expensive.........There are many other food markets, not so famous so really more authentic and with better prices. At last one at each neighborhood."

 

 

Regarding the pets: who knows? Probably the same people who buy pets from the little shops along the right bank of the Seine in Paris....

[chipmaster]

how do you carry a camera?

 

I carried my DSLR around my neck and when things got crowded or such I tucked it under my arm. My son often carried my other camera or on one of our strolls down La Ramblas they carried both of them. If you got a P&S I'd simply leave it in my pocket with the laynard wraped around your wrist.

 

BTW I carried my Lowepro on my back for our first stroll as we couldn't check into our hotel, no issues either. Couldn't look more like a toursit then that, YMMV of course.

 

I think people are blowing things out of proportion here. Be aware and careful and you'll be fine. Yes there are more theives and pickpockets there then in most places but it aint' so bad that everyone ends missing something. Its okay to look like a tourist but don't act like easy pickings and likely they will move on to easier target. The last thing they are looking for is a challenging subject or trouble.

[CruisingGoddess]

PacSafe also has a slashproof camera strap for large SLR-type cameras. I wish they sold a wrist-strap for small point & shoot cameras.

[orchid72]

People will always have an opinion about how bad pick-pocketing is in Barcelona.

 

My opinion/experience? It is not as bad as has been discussed much on this board. Among all the people I know who have been to Barcelona, not one person has been pick-pocketed. One person, however, described that nowhere has she been "felt-up" so much. It probably just seems really bad because of the amount of reporting that happens on these fora. But that is *not* to say that you will *never* fall victim to crime.

 

One of the most important things you can do to minimize your risk of being a victim is to just have a little bit - actually, make that A LOT - of common sense. This is one thing you really should never leave home without.

 

Yes, you will never be able to blend in; therefore, do not stress too much about figuring out what to wear. That said, do not *advertise* yourself as a desirable or easy target either. And that means trying to be understated in your dress and behaviour. Don't wear anything flashy or anything that makes you a desirable target. Don't dawdle and look dozy/daft; walk with a purpose, even when you do not entirely know where you are going. If you want to pull out a map, by all means, do so, but common sense tells us to do so discreetly. And if possible, stand with your back facing a wall, and hold on tight to your purse/bag while looking at your map (you can never totally be vigilant of your surroundings when you are concentrating on looking at your map).

 

When people advise you against taking a backpack, it is not so that you don't stand out as a tourist, but it's more so that you minimize your risk. If you want to carry a backpack, do so, but common sense tells us that you just need to be aware that if you are wearing it on your back, it is not always so easy to see what is going on behind you so you increase your risk by doing this. So how do you minimize this risk? You may want to think about carrying it in front of you, or if you don't want to carry it in front of you because you think you will look odd, then make sure not to put anything of value in it.

 

I have travelled through many parts of the world -and in some instances, some of the poorest areas in the world where I stood out no matter what I did - but have not once been pick-pocketed or robbed (knock on wood). Yes, I'm sure luck has played a part, but adopting a common sense approach to a lot of things has played a bigger role in my keeping safe.

 

I have never stressed out about going to these places either because I know to NOT take anything with me that I would mind losing. And, if I were to lose a few hundred dollars, it would suck, but really, in the whole scheme of things, it is just money (but the common sense approach is not to take too much cash with you).

 

Bottom line: do a lot of research, arm yourself with a lot of information, and take your common sense with you.

 

Do not worry too much because worry is a misuse of imagination and a waste of time. It may never happen to you, and you just worked yourself up over nothing.

[Hlitner]

I totally concur with the previous post. This Barcelona pick pocket thing is really over exaggerated, as there are similar pickpocket risks in almost any European city. In nearly 40 years of traveling in Europe we have only had attempts made on us in Arles (France), Bologna (Italy) and Istanbul and easily foiled all those attempts by taking simple precautions and being alert. As to not looking like a tourist, if you have to ask how not to look like a tourist you will look like a tourist :) This is particularly true for us Americans who have "American" written all over them by their taste in clothes, shoes, how they walk, etc.

 

Hank

[chipmaster]

PacSafe also has a slashproof camera strap for large SLR-type cameras. I wish they sold a wrist-strap for small point & shoot cameras.

 

Like the previous two posters much ado about something little.

 

The last thing I want hanging around my neck is my 2000+ dollar camera strapped to my neck with a strap with metal wrapped in it. So the stupid thief on a scooter or 250 lb grab and go strong man takes my neck or shoulder with him. You ever wonder why laynards now all have break away points to prevent injury? Sorry, they can have my camera before I want to end up with an injury. Prevention is thru behavior is the best practice here. If you can't keep things in your pockets safe without a steel cable and locks better to figure out how to change your behavior then make yourself a safe, but that IMHO :D

[tocruiseguy]

Like the previous two posters much ado about something little.

 

The last thing I want hanging around my neck is my 2000+ dollar camera strapped to my neck with a strap with metal wrapped in it. So the stupid thief on a scooter or 250 lb grab and go strong man takes my neck or shoulder with him. You ever wonder why laynards now all have break away points to prevent injury? Sorry, they can have my camera before I want to end up with an injury. Prevention is thru behavior is the best practice here. If you can't keep things in your pockets safe without a steel cable and locks better to figure out how to change your behavior then make yourself a safe, but that IMHO :D

 

 

I was thinking the same thing, what if it got caught in an escalator or something, sounds pretty darn dangerous. I am a pretty big guy but if someone wants my camera badly enough that they would slash at the strap while is is hanging around my neck they can have the camera. Imagine how sharp the knife would have to be to slash the strap quickly enought to cut it and grab the camera.

[smsjuly]

I bought a travel vest to carry items without carring a purse. I put valuables in the inside zip pocket. So far, I haven't lost anything. I am interested in the arm pouch though. We will be in Barcelona the end of October.Be careful and watch the people around you is excellent advice.

[MISSYLOU]

I bought a travel vest to carry items without carring a purse. I put valuables in the inside zip pocket. So far, I haven't lost anything. I am interested in the arm pouch though. We will be in Barcelona the end of October.Be careful and watch the people around you is excellent advice.

 

 

Who sells the travel vest?