IRISH SOCCER FANS travelling to Barcelona for the team’s upcoming Euro 2012 qualifier against Andorra have been warned that they are set to be targeted by Spanish criminals.
A recently established website (www.robbedinbarcelona.com), has published an open letter to all Irish soccer fans set to travel to the city, under the heading: “Welcome to Barcelona. You will be Robbed!”
The group was established by ex-pats who are fed up with being targets of the recent crime wave in the city and by the Spanish government’s lack of action.
Local gangs have now become involved in the lucrative pickpocketing scheme, which specifically targets tourists.
While the venue for the game has recently been switched from Barcelona to Andorra despite protests from the FAI and their Andorran counterparts, thousands of Irish fans are set to make Barcelona their base for the game anyway.
A spokesperson for the organisation, speaking under the pseudonym Rob Daly, expressed concern about the significant number of people who have been robbed and explained:
“The locals don’t take it seriously because the targets are mainly tourists so it doesn’t affect them directly.”
The website also includes information about the various ways in which tourists’ possessions can be stolen, including ‘The Ronaldinho’ – a method whereby the robber pretends to tackle the tourist football-style and steals his wallet while doing so.
For more information, visit www.robbedinbarcelona.com>
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It has been 14 years since I was in Barcelona. Beautiful city, fantastic park, home of Gaudi etc. Unfortunately, the main walkabout areas of the city are coated with thieves and drug addicts, and not just by night. Twice an attempt was made snatch my wife’s bag on Los Ramblas. We were in the city for a bare four days. One square off the same street was a no go area at night. The tourist guide warned against it, as did our hotel. I had a peek at it passing by expecting it to be seedy and half-deserted at night, in fact it was jammed with all types of people in all sorts of states drinking and smoking dope, with a few small fires on the go. The police were nowhere to be seen. One afternoon I was having an ice-cream at the top of the road which houses one of Gaudi’s apartment blocks when an addict in English demanded money from me. A year later a female colleague of my wife’s was assaulted in the same area and had her bag stolen. Two months ago a niece of mine had her wallet stolen while travelling from the airport into the city. Stunning city, shame about the crime culture.
My mother had her purse taken from her bag, while in a shop off los ramblas. When she realised, she chased after who she thought had taken it, confronted her and got it back!
She shouldn’t have been carrying a purse in her bag. Lucky she got it back..
Been there twice in the past 4 years and have noticed a regrettable degredation in the city in that time. Crime is everywhere now, particularly down La Rambla, with drug dealers and prostitutes plying their trade openly in the streets with police not even batting an eye lid at them. Such a shame as it is a beautiful city with so much going for it artistically and historically. Was mugged at knife point on what will be my final ever visit to the city 3 months ago. Those travelling would do well to avoid La Rambla after dark in particular.
I’ve never been to Barcelona, mainly because of the bad press it seems to get. Going by the comments on this thread I won’t visit anytime soon. Strange that a similar sized city(Amsterdam) isn’t beset by the levels of crime and drug abuse seen in Barca & also parts of Dublin. Could it be anything to do with the liberal, illuminated policy they have towards drug abuse and specifically cannabis, I wonder …
I wouldn’t let the comments on here put you off. Lots of people seem to have had a bad experience but I know lots of people who haven’t. I really loved the city and had no problem with crime at all and I would definitely go back. We walked up and down les ramblas everyday and it was packed with people and cops. Used the tour bus to get around the city mostly, but we also traveled on the underground and again had no problems. We only carried the money we needed for the day and kept it in a special travel pouch you can hide under your clothes. I would never keep valuables in a handbag on holiday, that’s just.
I’m sorry to hear that many people here had a bad experience of the city but in my experience it was a fantastic place with an amazing buzz. Loads and loads to do there too. I especially loved the extended les ramblas walk out to the sea. there’s loads of great restaurants there and I would say it’s one of the best policed areas as they’re keen to keep in the tourists good books. The odd time I did see people getting hastle, mostly from guys selling stuff on the side of the street then the cops were over in a shot. I also have to disagree with the comments about it being a dirty city. It’s twice as clean as Dublin city centre and I can’t say I seen anyone shooting up on the main street either.
I have to agree with Rosie. I was in Barcelona in June 2009 and felt perfectly safe. It is a beautiful city and I am looking forward to paying a return visit!
Barcelona is great. Wandered the streets alone at night with only the pimps, hookers and crackheads to ask for directions back to my hostel. They were always most helpful, perhaps mistaking my alcohol-induced bravado for a black belt.
I have to say, I loved Barcelona when I was there. There is a great buzz about the city but unfortunately it is similar to Dublin, being just as filthy and full of junkies only with better suntans. Will go back all the same.
I’d love to know what sort of idiots are thumbing down peoples accounts of unfortunate experiences there, are you meant to pretend they didn’t happen? Grow up FFS.
or equally thumbing down peoples positive experiences are you meant to pretend they didn’t happen too? Grow up FFS.
Was over in Barcelona in May. The place was full of armed Police. In fact I felt safer walking les ramblas at night than I do walking the streets of Dublin. There is more evidence of a strong drug culture on the streets of Dublin that there is there. We were told loads of horror stories before we went over about the number of pick pockets, drugs ect. so I had started to dread the holiday, but once we got there it was nothing like we’d been told it would be and we were staying in a small hotel right on the les ramblas. They obviously have had problems in the past and they’ve stepped up the level of security in response to that. Similar to any large city you should always be careful of your belongings but overall I felt Barcelona was a very safe and well policed city.
My niece reported being robbed to the police, once she made it to her hotel. She had nothing, wallet, passport, etc, gone. Her father wired over money and an emergency passport was organised. The police response was dismal in her opinion Totally indifferent to her situation. Another stupid young foreigner not taking care. Incidentally, Barcelona considers itself a very ‘Left’ city.
I loved the place..have to agree with Rosie too. Place is twice as safe as Dublin. If people do carry valuables around with them in handbags then expect them to be stolen. Far too many people are so naive when it comes to carrying valuables. Lock things like a passport in a safe in the hotel. And when travelling from the airport to the hotel have a small pouch you can hide under your clothing with some money and your passport.
People are moaning about Barcelona on this but has anyone actually walked down o’connell street here lately. Junkies shooting up in broad daylight and getting into fights constantly. I never once encountered such behaviour in Barcelona. And as for the Gardai response to crime here, my friend was robbed outside the GPO while a Garda was watching and he just shrugged his shoulders when my friend aproached him for help. said there was nothing he could do.
Tourists are legally robbed in Dublin every night of the week. â
We were scammed in Barcelona by ‘police’ with official looking id. During the same 4 day period we saw 3 separate working pickpockets. Although I love the city, I would not spend a break there again.
The Labour Party has ruled the city for 32 years (1979-2011) and that has brought the current disaster where all the scumbags of the world feel like at home and everything is allowed to them. Fortunately there was a change after the last city council elections and with the centre-right mayor Xavier Trias it seems that the things are improving, but it will not be easy, those 32 years where everything was permitted are a hard inheritance.
It also depends on where you go, pickpockets operate in touristic areas because apart from being a valuable target, they (tourist) cannot attend trial because they have already left so the burglar goes free.
this is not good for sports activities its effect the sports activities if it continue then people are hesitate to come in Barcelona govt keep control the terrorist activities
Barcelona