Barcelona is the pickpocket capital of the world.
Generally speaking, Barcelona is a safe city to visit, but unfortunately, it is the pickpocket capital of the world. Sophisticated and highly coordinated pickpockets roam around the streets especially in the city center. Here is a collection of important tips on how to avoid and outsmart pickpockets during your stay.
On your arrival pay close attention to your luggage at the train, bus and metro station.
Unfortunately, too many visitors get pickpocketed before they even reach their hotel rooms. Train, bus, and metro stations, as well as hotel entrances, are major hotspots for pickpockets and thieves. Thieves target newly arrived tourists because they are carrying all of their valuables at once. In a new environment, newcomers are often exhausted, distracted, and disoriented.
Pickpockets will often watch you at ticket offices and vending machines. As you pay for your transit, they observe exactly where you put your purse or wallet.
The best way to minimize risk when you first arrive is to book a private transfer to your hotel in advance. Additionally, remember to keep your transit tickets and your cash or cards in separate places, and never forget to secure comprehensive travel insurance before your trip.
Tip: To avoid drawing unnecessary attention to yourself, remove your airline luggage tags as soon as you collect your bags at the airport.
Before you hit the streets.
Once you have arrived safely at your hotel, it’s time to take a few safety precautions.
Before heading out, leave your core valuables in your hotel room. Your laptop, for instance, is much safer in your room than inside a backpack out on the streets. Don’t leave cameras or tablets in plain view—hide them out of sight. For extra security, lock your items inside your room’s safe or leave them with the hotel’s front desk.
Separate your money by keeping your cash and cards in at least two different places. If you travel with multiple credit cards, leave your backups in your room. Just in case your primary card is lost or stolen, ensure you have a copy of your bank’s international emergency number handy.
If you are planning a night out in Barcelona, a great tip is to dress like a local. Standing out from the crowd as a tourist makes you an easier target for thieves.
Tip: Spanish law requires you to carry official ID at all times. While a photocopy of your passport is usually perfectly fine for daily sightseeing – allowing you to leave the priceless original safely locked in your hotel safe.
Pickpockets and scammers almost always operate in organized groups.
Pickpockets thrive in crowded spaces. They target victims in bars, restaurants, busy shopping streets, and on escalators.
Whenever you enter a crowded area, keep one hand on top of your bag and use the other to protect your phone or wallet. The safest way to carry your bag is tightly against your chest.
Avoid giving money to street beggars. If you choose to do so, keep some loose change in a separate pocket so thieves cannot see where you keep the rest of your cash.
When sitting at an outdoor terrace or café, always keep your bag in front of you or on your lap. If you must place your bag on the ground, secure it between your feet or loop the strap around your leg. When it’s time to pay the bill, avoid counting your cash in plain view of everyone around you.
Watch out for distractions and avoid common street scams. Thieves almost always start their play with a distraction. They might surprise you by asking for directions, dropping money or a valuable-looking item right in front of you, or asking you to sign a charity petition. The only thing these scammers really want is to see where you reach for your wallet. It is a bitter irony that the person who distracted you will often stick around, pretending to help you look for your missing items—even though they were the one who stole them.
Tip: Only carry the specific amount of cash you will actually need for the day.
ATMs: A Prime Target Zone
If you need to withdraw cash, try to avoid outdoor, street-side ATMs. It is usually quite easy to find an ATM located safely inside a bank branch. Before you enter your PIN, check to ensure that no one is lurking over your shoulder. Always remember to shield the keypad with your hand while typing your code.
Precautionary Tip: Set a daily withdrawal limit on your debit and credit cards before you travel.
After dark, pickpockets and street scammers look for easy targets.
If you want to keep your money and belongings safe, avoid excessive alcohol consumption and recreational drugs.
Substance abuse heavily impairs your awareness and slows your reaction times. After dark, intoxicated tourists are the number-one target for Barcelona’s notorious pickpockets and thieves. The long lines at local police stations are consistently filled with confused, hungover tourists trying to file police reports for their stolen belongings.
If you plan on having a wild night out, it is critical to avoid street dealers and street-level prostitution.
Brothels have been illegal in Spain for decades, though many still operate under the loose guise of “whiskerías” or private clubs. After sunset, street-level workers and dealers emerge to target tourists. While some can be avoided easily, others are incredibly aggressive and pushy. They will physically crowd your personal space, using unwanted touching or mock dancing as a distraction tactic to pick your pockets. Sometimes they operate in groups, making it incredibly easy to get surrounded and robbed before you even realize what happened.
The drug dealers on the street corners are highly dangerous characters. For your own safety, avoid making any eye contact or engaging with them entirely.
Tip: Avoid street-level scams. If you choose to explore the city’s nightlife or adult entertainment, stick to established, indoor venues rather than the illegal and high-risk activity on the streets.
What to Do If You Get Robbed
If you happen to lose your wallet, purse, or bags, the most important thing to do is keep a cool, level head. While it is completely natural to feel incredibly frustrated and angry, letting your temper take over will only complicate matters.
Instead, focus on acting immediately to secure your accounts and identity:
- Make a quick mental inventory: Note down exactly what was inside the stolen items (credit cards, cash amounts, IDs, electronic devices).
- Freeze your accounts: Immediately call your bank or log into your mobile banking apps to block all credit and debit cards.
- File a police report: Go to the nearest police station (Comisaría) right away to report the theft. You will absolutely need an official copy of this report (denuncia) if you intend to file a claim with your travel insurance provider. Major tourist-facing stations usually have English translators or forms available, as well as courtesy phones to contact your card issuers.
- Handle lost identity documents: If your passport or national ID card was stolen, contact your airline immediately to find out their policy on boarding a return flight with temporary or emergency travel documents. Your next stop will likely need to be your home country’s embassy or consulate in Barcelona.
Key Police Station Locations in Barcelona
If you need to report a crime in the city center, these are two of the most convenient and well-known locations:
Main City Center Police Station (Mossos d’Esquadra)
- Name: Comissaria de Policia de la Generalitat – Mossos d’Esquadra (Ciutat Vella)
- Address: Carrer Nou de la Rambla, 76-78, 08001 Barcelona, Spain
- Hours: Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Metro Station Police Office
- Location: Located directly inside the underground concourse of the Plaça Catalunya metro station. This dedicated transit office is highly convenient for travelers to file immediate theft reports without leaving the transit system.