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16/05/2005: "Risk of Mugging in Barcelona..."

Barcelona is a beautiful city with amazing architecture, food and places to visit (Mail), but what the Spanish tourist office fail to mention is that more than 150 people a day are mugged in broad daylight in its busy streets, losing their jewellery, handbags, passports and money.
My wife and I were two of the unlucky ones. Since then we've heard numerous stories of how people, including the elderly, are dragged into side streets and have their belongings taken.
The criminals are mainly Moroccans, often working in pairs or groups and, as in the UK, other members of the public offer no assistance to the unfortunate victims.
I speak some Spanish and the police told me that this level of crime is one of the risks of visiting the city. There's very little they can do to stop it.
People visiting Barcelona should avoid wearing jewellery in the street, carry as little money as possible and keep it concealed. There are so many stolen credit cards in circulation there that, in most shops, you have to produce your passport to make a purchase.

(this letter was written by Tony Shaw, Holme, Lancs, to a travel magazine)

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