Security in Barcelona

You really don’t have to worry about security in Barcelona if you behave sensibly as you would in any popular tourist destination.

Barcelona does not have a serious street violence and crime problem. Violent crime is not at all common and the overall atmosphere of the city is peaceful and relaxed. Most people come to Barcelona and have a great time with no trouble.

However, because Barcelona attracts a great many visitors, the bag-snatchers, pickpockets and general petty thieves who prey on tourists world-wide can be as real a nuisance for the unaware as they can in any popular city. The pilferers tend to look for the easiest options and concentrate on the more careless or vulnerable visitor.
Thieves tend to go where you go –where the takings are best and where they can mingle in the crowds before and after their dastardly deeds– the Metro, on the bus, stations, the Rambla, busy central streets, Parc Güell, Sagrada Familia, the beach– and any other busy place in your guide book.

By taking a few simple and obvious precautions you can avoid the upsetting, frustrating and time-consuming trouble of having documents, cards and valuables stolen. Keep these in mind and enjoy your time in Barcelona to the full.

- Be aware of where you are and the people around you. If you think you see someone hanging around you, simply move away.

- Do not flash your wallet around, especially if it’s as thick as half a loaf.

- Try to get small banknotes and avoid anything over 50 euros by changing in a bank or Caixa.

- Be especially careful at cash points and try to avoid going alone or late at night.

- Obviously, be especially careful when you just arrive as you have all your valuables with you, are loaded down with luggage and may be tired and disoriented. This includes getting off the Aerobus, the station (see the heavy luggage trick below) and leaving your taxi.

- When getting off a bus at Estació del Nord or Sants be sure to go straight to your luggage when the driver opens the compartment. He will not do this until everyone is off the bus. However, there are usually some thieves hanging around looking for easy pickings and they may try to make off with a suitcase or pick your pocket while you are getting your bags.
Refuse help from strangers offering to help you and only use the lift with people you recognise from the bus.

- Do not carry your wallet or documents in your back pocket.

- Separate your money, documents and valuables to avoid losing everything at one go if the worst happens. Keep things out of sight as much as possible.

- Keep your camera, handbag, pouch or whatever in front of you, with the strap crossed over your shoulder. Better still, keep a grip on it.

- Never hang your bag or camera over the back of your chair either indoors or out. Leather jackets are also a favourite target. Keep yours where you can see it and out of reach of others.

- Try to blend in a bit, avoid waving a tourist map around in the middle of the street and be discreet.

Card-sharps, short conmen and tricksters…These operate on the Rambla, usually near the flower stalls, and use the well-known “three card trick” or the “three shell trick” and its variants using thimbles, plastic cups, bottle-tops and peas or other small balls to fool the public into making bets and losing their money.
The idea of this “game” is to locate the pea under one of the shells (or the the queen amongst the three cards) and then bet to win on your choice. The conmen use accomplices or “plants” in the public who “win” money by choosing the right shell or card. When a “mark” or ordinary player makes his choice the operator either cleverly hides the ball or manipulates the choice in one way or another.
A “mark” is never allowed to win any money.
Plants will distract players, encourage them to bet more, keep an eye open for the police and intimidate anyone who challenges the conmen.
As the trick draws large groups of people, pickpockets and other thieves are always among the crowd looking for opportunities.
Betting in this game is illegal and, although the police will assist you politely and correctly as always, perhaps you cannot expect much sympathy if you are robbed while playing or “lose” your money.
The criminals running the game are mostly gangs from Eastern Europe who, according to one local reporter, make about 400 euros in half an hour.
Local traders who have reported this scam to the police or warned tourists against getting tricked say they have been threatened with violence by the gangs. Please note that if you take part in this con trick, not only will you lose your money, but you are contributing to organised criminal activity and potentially to violence on local tradespeople.
Last year over 2600 people were arrested for running this scam, that’s about 50 a week; so, strange as it may seem, there are still enough gullible people around to make this a very profitable on-going enterprise. The trick was first documented in Ancient Greece.

Have you got a light, boy?… Be wary if someone approaches your table to ask for a light, especially if it’s a couple, one may be trying to open your bag or grab something. This is a common approach in the Plaça Reial.

The little girls lost… Aboard the Metro or at the station groups of foreign gypsies dressed as “tourists” will approach an obvious foreigner and, waving a map, ask for directions. Surrounded and jostled, the bewildered foreigner may find his backpack being rummaged or camera grabbed and passed to an accomplice. These groups act in a most blatant and brazen manner and are not easily intimidated when locals interrupt their crude attempts. Easy to avoid by moving away and keeping a firm grip on all valuables. A variation on this technique is simply crowding round the victim and jostling, especially at rush-hour.

That big suitcase looks too heavy for poor little you…Another popular ploy used against young travellers arriving at the station –I’ve seen this myself at Passeig de Gràcia– is for a group of two or three young lads to offer to “help” young girls with their suitcases. They work things out to get them onto the escalator, and away from the crowd, after one of them stops it using the emergency button. Easy to avoid by refusing the help offered and staying with the crowd from the train.

Just let me clean you –out… Someone might offer to “clean” your back, supposedly stained by bird droppings while he or his accomplice tries to grab what he can.

The Ronaldinho… Young people, out late at night are often easy victims, especially after a few, or quite a few drinks. One popular technique is the “Ronaldinho” when someone runs up singing and laughingly embraces you from behind, as if he were a long lost friend and tries to get you to “join the fun”. The only thing lost here is usually your wallet, quickly passed on to an accomplice. Groups of young women do this too.

For some strange reason, young, “tipsy” men tend to fall for the trick more often when one or more women do the embracing.

Metro barrier manouvre...Pickpockets will snatch your wallet, just as you go through the barrier. I put mine in my pocket to straighten a bent ticket and just caught the thief red-handed as he whipped it out and gave it to an accomplice. It was sweetly done, but I felt it and had not gone far enough through the barrier to be unable to turn back and grab the thief. Keep hold of your wallet till you have gone through! then you can put it firmly and safely away.

The Plainclothes Thieves...This is often done by small groups of Rumanian thieves; several have been arrested recently. Two or more men may approach foreign tourists and, quickly flashing some kind of false ID, say they are policemen checking identities and searching for drugs. They will then demand ID from you and attempt to search your bags. They will steal money, valuables and cards while "searching" your wallet or bag.
The best way of avoiding this is to refuse to hand over anything at all to anyone claiming to be a police officer, unless he is in uniform. Even so, it is extremely unlikely a uniformed or plainclothes officer would ask a tourist for his ID without there being some very obvious reason. If you are approached by these plainclothes thieves, simply refuse to listen and walk on. Because they do this in the centre of town –Diagonal, Passeig de Gràcia and other populated places– do not be afraid of kicking up a fuss and drawing attention to yourself. The thieves should quickly disappear. Hopefully the real police may show up.

This May, 24 Rumanians have been arrested and charged with more than 80 crimes of this nature. 14 other warrants have been issued.
The group operated around Camp Nou, the Olympic Stadium and Palau Sant Jordi, the Magic Fountain, Park Güell and the Gothic Quarter amd Eixample.
This gang used a decoy –a gang member disguised as a tourist who played along with the false police, handing over documents and credit cards– for greater credibility.
The "policemen" asked for proof of credit card ownership by "checking" the PIN number. In reality they were copying the Card and PIN number.
A policeman will never ask you for the PIN number of your credit card. Never give it to anyone.
Some of the victims were intimidated when the thieves gave glimpses of what looked like weapons or handcuffs.
There is no need to be afraid of policemen in Spain. In the unlikely event of their approaching you, they will always identify themselves clearly and never ask you for money, credit cards or any confidential details.

In the unlucky event of being robbed you will need to get a “denuncia” or report from the police in order to claim insurance or obtain travel documents. This may take some time so make sure you’re well prepared with the information you need before going. It is not at all likely that you will recover your property.

Credit and debit cards

If you have lost your cards, you may need these numbers to cancel them as soon as possible to avoid accumulating charges. Insist on getting the time and place of the last charge made and ensure the card is cancelled by getting an incident number.

Visa - Master Card: 915 196 000 - 900 971 231 - 900 991 216

American Express: 902 375 637

Dinner's Club: 934 670 145 - 902 401 112

4B Card: 902 114 400 - 913 626 200

El Corte Inglés: 901 122 122

Citibank España: 902 241 200

If you have no cell phone and cannot phone from your current location or hotel, the police will let you use a phone free of charge to cancel your cards.

Passport or travel ID

Depending on what kind of passport you hold, your nationality, destination and airline, you may need to get a replacement passport, ID document or temporary document in order to travel. Your embassy, consulate or airline should be able to inform you by phone and arrange the details. You will need the police report to get a travel document or ID of any description.

Here is a list of Consulates in Barcelona

Valuables

If you have the serial numbers of your cameras, video cameras, cell phones or other valuables, there is a very slight chance that you’ll get them back. If they are insured, you’ll need the “denuncia” to make a claim. Some companies will insist the serial number is on the police report along with the brand, model and other distinguishing features. Don’t forget inform your your cell-phone provider straight away or you may be charged a whopping amount for long distance calls made after the theft.

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