The Most Renowned Cities in Europe for Pickpockets

Booking your yearly holiday is usually an exciting time for many of us and usually one of the most expensive purchases we will make during the year. It’s the one period where we should be able to relax for a week or two and enjoy what the location and cities in the region have to offer. Going on vacation also opens you up to a whole different set of situations and experiences that aren’t common in everyday life, and I don’t just mean the pleasant ones. Protecting your valuables should be high up on your list of things to consider while away from your home environment, and you can go a lot further than just utilising the safe in your hotel room.

If you’re planning a trip to a European city this year, it’s worth bearing in mind that many of the capitals and large cities are renowned for light fingered residents looking to prey on unsuspecting tourists. Pickpockets can usually be found at all of the large tourist traps such as historic monuments and they should not be underestimated, there is true art in the skill they have perfected. Here are some of the worst European cities for pickpockets.

Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona is Spain’s second largest city and is not the Spanish capital. It is commonly regarded as the worst place in Europe to have your personal possessions poached from under your nose. In particular, Barcelona’s famous Boulevard, La Rambla, is notorious for pickpockets and some of the locals regard the crime as a sport. The area is also well known for prostitution, so not only is the area a bad place to take the family, it also doesn’t represent the best of Spain, which on a whole, is a fantastic country.

Rome, Italy

Rome is an utterly amazing city and a fantastic place to visit. The amount of history and culture available in the city is staggering and is a place I would recommend to anyone. Rome is also rampant with pickpockets and holiday makers are their main target. Rome’s resident pickpockets are fairly sophisticated and come in all ages, young children are known to take wallets and purses and the older thieves tend to dress up a little in smart clothing. Pickpockets in Rome are quite fond of creating uncomfortable situations by means of confrontation and the Metro is well known for pickpockets operating on stations and on trains. The best defense in Rome is to dress like the locals and keep your wits about you.

Madrid, Spain

Spain’s second offering to the list and this time it is the capital of the country. Madrid is another city where pick pocketing is a serious profession and many of the thieves won’t be kids. The El Rastro market is a well known hot spot, as is the Metro in the city. Thieves in Madrid are fond of distraction techniques, so be aware of people with coats over their arms or who may be pushing into you on the Metro while they rummage through your bag. Another clever tactic employed is for the thief to push a piece of paper between your eyes and your pocket while asking you to sign something like a petition.

Paris, France

I love Paris, it’s a fantastic city, but it too is another of the major European capitals that suffers from a spate of pickpockets. The Metro system is another favourite hot spot for thieves looking to make a day’s wage, as well as the major tourist attractions such as the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower. Even tourists at the top of the Eiffel Tower aren’t safe from the light fingered Parisians and at the base of the tower you can often find beggars looking for money who also have particularly light fingers.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

This came as a bit of a surprise to me when researching this topic because Amsterdam is a laidback and extremely safe city. If you are pick pocketed while visiting Amsterdam then it will probably be the worst thing to happen to you while in the city. The train from Schiphol International Airport to the city is a popular place for thieves to target tired travellers. While in the city, be aware of a few of the local’s favourite tricks such as using newspapers or jackets to conceal the crime while in a crowd, spilling something on your coat and offering to clean it, and sitting back to back with you in a restaurant and rifling through your coat pockets while it’s hung on the back of your chair.

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