Top Pickpocketing Cities

Will be in Barcelona for one week this October. I've been following the Barcelona forum and there are lots of reports of pickpocketing. It's a little daunting and can't say that I am not concerned. However, will have my ever trusty moneybelt and will follow all necessary precautions. However, it appears that the Bacelona pickpockets are very resourceful. There is a frequent poster on TA who has been to Barcelona a number of times. He recommends that you email the mayor's office with your concerns. I actually did that and got a response the following day. It included all the usual platitudes of how they are trying to remediate the problem and hope my stay in Barcelona is a safe one..... We'll see. Fortunately, we aren't late night partyers and won't be wandering around Barcelona in a tipsy condition (not that there is anything wrong with that!)

Wow, the Iberian tourist industry can't love those results. *** I've been to six of those places (Barcelona, Rome, Paris ,Madrid, Prague, and London [four times]) and I can't say I've ever knowingly been the target of a pick pocket. Washington, DC, on the other hand...

Thanks, Frank. That is "news I can use". We are planning 5 days in Barcelona in October. Thanks again.

I wonder how this survey would stack up against, let's say, American cities. NY, DC, Boston for starters. The only time I was ever the victim of an attempted pickpocketing (that I'm aware of) was on the Madrid metro going from Barajas Airport to our apartment off of the Gran Via. Car was pack to the gills and I was standing holding on to a bar. Young teenaged couple standing behind me and my wife, in front of me, looks down and notices the girls left hand reaching into my left pocket. I knew right off from my wife's look on her face what was happening and I caught the young girl. I was wearing a pair of Dockers with the deep pockets but she was that good. Thank God my wife was paying attention. Still feel safer over there than over here. BTW...love the use of a "Black" hand picking a pocket in the article's photo. It's always "those" people you have to fear. I just love the media...

Hi Frank, I really can't argue with the list. Look at the happy side. In Europe they only try to pick your pocket. In America they use guns! Cheers

Frank II, thanks for posting that. Good information to have! I'm surprised to see London on the list, even in tenth place. I've never had a problem there, but will certainly be more careful in future. Cheers!

Amsterdam is not on the list, but my Dutch friend nearly had his pocket picked this summer. We were area with lots of tourist and football fans and Ad actually called warning to me as he thought he saw a group of three working the crowd. A minute later his wife stopped somebody from going into his day pack. The only time my pocket was picked was in Chicago. I'd picked up my niece at O'Hare and we'd ridden the El to downtown. We were transferring to the Howard and I was distracted with Heather and all her stuff. I didn't even know it was gone until I went to pay for Pizza Gino's East. Gino's was very understanding. Pam

I was on the Metro in Paris when a guy unzipped my purse and was ready to take out my wallet. We were standing and I was holding onto the pole while my sister nodded as to what was taking place. Thankfully, the doors opened, I turned my head toward him and he dropped my wallet back into my purse. After two weeks in Europe, the only thing left in my wallet was the train station locker key! Course, that was crucial. I had become lax in my vigilance. This has been my only experience with thieves. We will be in Bavaria soon and I hope not to have a repeat.

Earlier this year my brother-in-law was almost the victim of an pickpocketing as they climbed on a train in Rome. My sister was in the lead and two teenaged girls stopped ahead of her as if they were lost. My brother-in-law was behind her carrying his bag and felt the velcro of his rear pocket being pulled. He grabbed the hand of an even younger girl, then the teenage girls shouted at the young one for attempting such a thing - as if they weren't aware of the whole situation. All three girls quickly exited the scene. Nothing out of the ordinary had happened anywhere else. This was at the end of their vacation and they just let their guard down for a moment.

I was pickpocketed in London about 20 years ago. Was in a busy Tube station with my arms full of packages and my purse slung over my shoulder. My purse was unzipped and my wallet was taken. Didn't realize it was gone until I stopped for a drink near my hotel. I was an easy target and obviously I know better now all the things I did wrong.

I was pickpocketed in Madrid just leaving the Reina Sofia museum. It was not crowded, It had to be at the entrance of the museum and even though I had a small backpack with clip and zipper, I never felt a thing. Luckily, I guess, a woman speaking Catalan, came after us saying something that sounded like "un malokino un malokino" and gave me my wallet back. They had taken the euros I had but all my credit cards and dollars were still there.

I've been following this board for about a month now since I'm going to Italy in October. I've read much discussion about the dangers of pickpockets. And last night I had what might have been a prophetic dream! In the dream I had just arrived in Rome (according to my actual plan) and I was at some airport store trying to buy something. While I was talking to the guy at the counter, another man came up behind me and started talking to me about my purchase as if to "help" me (and I was listening to him!), but as he was talking he opened my carry-on bag and cleaned out everything in my bag! I think the dream was trying to tell me that I'm too naive and trusting. Because of this dream, I'm now getting a lock for my carry-on bag!

Several years ago I was a victim of a potential pickpocketing in Pisa while waiting to buy tickets to the Leaning Tower. Here's how the scam worked. As everyone was making a mad dash to the ticket office, a couple of nice looking young ladies crowded in front of me and my wife. We just let it go, but in a couple of minutes, a male friend of one of the girls worked his way through the crowd and nestled up against me, pushing his body against my left side while holding a bottle of water in front of him. While talking to the girls, he continued to push harder against my side. This caught me off-guard, so I pushed back, determined not to let him in front of me in the line. In doing so, I was concentrating on his rudeness and pressure of his pushiness. At the same time, he was attempting to take my wallet. It just so happened that he dropped it at my feet. While bending over to pick it up, he and the girls were gone! We travel to Europe every other year and have never had a problem until this time. Normally, I wear a money belt, but this time we had been driving all day and hadn't planned on doing much sightseeing around crowds of people. I let up my guard; but, NEVER AGAIN! I'll wear a money belt at all times.

Several years ago I was a victim of a potential pickpocketing in Pisa while waiting to buy tickets to the Leaning Tower. Here's how the scam worked. As everyone was making a mad dash to the ticket office, a couple of nice looking young ladies crowded in front of me and my wife. We just let it go, but in a couple of minutes, a male friend of one of the girls worked his way through the crowd and nestled up against me, pushing his body against my left side while holding a bottle of water in front of him. While talking to the girls, he continued to push harder against my side. This caught me off-guard, so I pushed back, determined not to let him in front of me in the line. In doing so, I was concentrating on his rudeness and pressure of his pushiness. At the same time, he was attempting to take my wallet. It just so happened that he dropped it at my feet. While bending over to pick it up, he and the girls were gone! We travel to Europe every other year and have never had a problem until this time. Normally, I wear a money belt, but this time we had been driving all day and hadn't planned on doing much sightseeing around crowds of people. I let up my guard; but, NEVER AGAIN! I'll wear a money belt at all times.

Did you yell after them when they took off in such a hurry with, "Didn't you forget something?" Taunting them would be the last thing they would have expected from a potential pickpocket victim. I am glad you frustrated their aim and got your wallet back. I'll know if some one there gets awfully pushy and touchy, they're up to no good.

I should have known what was going on, but I let my emotions take over. I really think that someone may have bumped the guys arm to dislodge my wallet. If so, I owe him or her a large debt of gratitude. I would do the same.

I think it is sad when the behaviour of thieves makes travelers wary of all strangers. I experience this with American tourists on occasion and it amazes me. Sitting on a train, watching and listening to people near by who are puzzled and confused about where they are going, I often offer assistance, mostly gratefully accepted. Then there are those who are afraid that I am a thief or up to no good and who bluntly say, "no, we're fine", though I know they aren't. I help people at the ticket machines too, but I try to let them handle their own money. Just recently, I was riding the train to the airport with some older friends when a couple sitting on the other side with luggage, were puzzling about where to get off the train, though I couldn't hear them. They kept getting up to look at the train map above the doors. Finally, right before we got to the airport, I asked if I could be of assistance. Quick shake of the head, and a no thanks, so I got off the train with my friends. I turned around to look and the guy is then asking a German stranger for help! This just seems to be taking fear of strangers way to extremes. Hopefully, he didn't want to get off at the airport....Once, I offered help to a guy who was trying to explain something to the ticket seller whose English was failing her. I had been standing in line behind him and had listened to the frustration of both of them not understanding each other. His reply? "If I wanted your help, I would have asked for it"...That is what I call rude.

We were in the Nice train station (6 of us) waiting for the train and a young women started talking to us (American too) however she was looking at where everyone was puting their money (hindsite) and as we boarded the train to Milan, her partner came down the opposite way of all the people boarding and took my husbands money out of his velcro shorts side pocket, but husband felt it and pushed him into a compartment (we were going 1st class so their were compartments) now I'm behind him not knowing what is going on, and the guy throws the money under the seat (so my husband goes for the money and not him) I finally realize what is going on and yell "Stop thief" as he turns and smiles and gets off the train. We use money belts so he only would have got about 50euro but husband was very brave and fast acting. Always be wary of strangers.