New approach by pickpockets?
 

I was targetted today by a couple of men as I was getting onto a bus at Carrefour at Finestrat. There was a bit of a hold up at the beginning of the queue as someone (nothing to do with the pickpockets) was using a 20€ note to pay his 2.50€ fare. I felt someone bump into me from the back, and my hand immediately went down to the buttoned pocket my wallet was in, I felt a guys hand moving away. Two guys were having a bit of a row, I suspect one was telling the other off for bumping into me. My wallet was still in my pocket, although the button was undone. Funnily enough neither of the guys got onto the bus, they walked away, waiting for the next bus, and a more unsuspecting person? This isn't the first time this has been tried on me, so I've got wise and only carry my wallet in a deep buttoned or velcroed pocket, and never have credit cards or much money on me, they would have got just 15€ if they had got my wallet. Just a warning as there are getting to be more and more people about and crowds are getting bigger.

Re: New approach by pickpockets?
 

There was an article on Expatica concerning the amount of pick pocketing in Barcelona, not in dodgy areas but around the tourist spots.

The main concern was the lack of Polica in known area`s and no response to calls from tourist who have been robbed at knife point.

It`s a sign of hard times and will only get worse.

Spanish news today reporting that 37% of unemployed people arn`t getting any financial help from the govt.

You can`t live on nothing.

Re: New approach by pickpockets?
 

Hi
My husband was victim to this one in Seville. Two walked quickly in front of us and stopped dead to have a chat, this also stopped us whilst the third one slid his hand into Mikes pocket. He too felt the pickpocket and grabbed him by the wrist. We were lucky that day and now try to keep cash and cards seperate

Re: New approach by pickpockets?
 

It's not new. My dad was done this same way when getting on a bus in Sheffield 30 yrs ago.:sneaky:

Re: New approach by pickpockets?
 

........my oh & I, on the metro in Barcelona, not (we believe) looking especially touristy, someone 'drops' a cigarette lighter at our feet, he suspects instantly, goes to tap his rear pocket but too late, microseconds in and someone's got hold of his trouser ankles preventing movement, train moves off (they've leapt off by this stage), he instantly says to me they've got his wallet (not needing to check, just knows) and sure enough the day unfolds in an assortment of phone calls to visa, visits to police station, assistance from the hotel staff, etc etc etc.
They're all pros, that's for sure.

Re: New approach by pickpockets?
 

Yes I used to see this kind of thing happen near Arc de Triunf in Barcelona every day. On the Sapnish TV news they said over 90% of all pickpockets caught in the Madrid metros were Romanian. Dont know if thats the same in other areas

Re: New approach by pickpockets?
 

I'd be very careful of believing statistics like that one. It may just mean that the police are targeting one ethnic group who they think are pickpockets - while ignoring others (e.g. spanish / western european looking people).
If they only arrest or search people who are romanian, then it's inevitable that the vast majority of pickpockets will be from that group.

Re: New approach by pickpockets?
 

Or it could mean that a group recently arrived in Spain, and at the bottom of the social scale, are more likely to have a few desperates resort to street crime. Although I'm not always a big fan of the police, I don't see in a place like Madrid how you could have a policy of only arresting pickpockets who happen to be Romanian (I've met Rumanians there, admittedly in jobs, who you would have sworn were Spanish based on their appearance and fluent use of the language) . For what it's worth, I imagine that in central Madrid over half of all criminals will be non-Spanish - they'll be Latin American, Moroccan, Rumanaian, Russian etc - because a lot of newly arrived will be non-Spanish. The established Spanish will not be interested in committing the crime, as they've got work opportunities (obviously there will be the odd exception).

Re: New approach by pickpockets?
 

Exactly. In the last 10 years crime has doubled in Spain, its now almost as high as in the UK :) In the same time 4 million foreigners have arrived

Re: New approach by pickpockets?
 

So does that mean the same principle applies to crime and criminals in other countries too? For example, does it therefore follow that "The established Brits will not be interested in committing the crime [in Britain], as they've got work opportunities"? I don't think you can generalise like that.

Re: New approach by pickpockets?
 

Which is why I'm not generalising about all crime in all countries. We were talking about pickpockets in central Madrid. For what it's worth, I believe the biggest criminals on the planet are white WASP upper middle-classes - work for banks and governments!

Re: New approach by pickpockets?
 

Spain is only 35 years out of a fascist dictatorship. Fascists are very good at maintaining order in the community. A lot of members of society would like to overthrow them so the fascists invest heavily in spy networks in the community and heavy punishment. If you do anything out of the ordinary your neighbour will report you to the authorities.

So when Franco died crime was almost non-existant (or very low) in Spain. There were no criminal gangs and no hardened criminals - only some petty crime that grew in the early years of democracy at a local level. So, when Spain's borders opened in came the Brits and Irish (Costa del crime etc) and more recently the Romanians and Russians.

Anyway, thats the end of my thesis...

Re: New approach by pickpockets?
 

Happened to me a few years back, I was getting on a train at London Bridge station in the rush hour, my purse was in my bag I felt someone tap me on my shoulder at the same time as 2 people in front of me stopped dead. I turned to look to see who had tapped me on the shoulder and felt being pushed from the otherside but if you have travelled in London rush hour you would not take any notice of this. Once on the train I couldn't move as we were squashed in like sardines but at the next station many of the people got off and I checked my bag to find it undone and purse missing. Never carried much in my purse at the best of tome so they only got away with £3.00 and my cards are not kept in my purse.

Reported it to the station police the next day and was told that there was a group of about 25 youngest working as a team, I thought something was strange coz so many people got off at the next station. Same thing then happened to my friend the following week but she lost £600, her childminder had asked to be paid in cash that month and she had used the hole in the wall at the station.

Re: New approach by pickpockets?
 

I have this encounter with pickpocket when i was in china last year. Almost lost my wallet!

Re: New approach by pickpockets?
 

I think in the UK we are always wearing substantial/thick clothing and many layers to keep warm and dry,therefore we protect our wallets/purses etc. When we go on holiday to warm countries we wear less and are more exposed!!!
'To pickpockets I mean'
Suddenly my husband starts asking me if I have room for his stuff in my bag!! what a nerve!!
We are targets aren't we? wearing shorts when the slightest bit of sun is out!