LIVING

It is a common scenario that occurs far too frequently—the skill of Barcelona’s pickpockets and petty thieves has become an infamous part of the city’s reputation. Tourists tend to be the victims of theft and bag snatching as they are less watchful, but residents are also vulnerable. No matter how long people have lived in the city, or how aware they are of common-sense rules such as staying in well-lit areas and not walking around the streets alone, one unguarded moment can lead to the loss of a bag, and more.

When people bring a bag out with them, it often contains their lives broken down into essential, expensive components: mobile phone, wallet, identity card, bank cards, camera, keys, not to mention items of personal value such as photos or keepsakes. When the bag disappears down a dark alley, all these possessions vanish too, leading to complicated insurance claims (if there is insurance) and weeks of waiting before they can be replaced. Anything without monetary value is lost forever. However, a couple of steps may serve to minimise the losses.

The first is a defensive attitude. When walking around the city, especially at night, it makes sense to never carry more than absolutely necessary, and to not carry all items of value in one place. Carry a bag on an unexposed arm, be it one near a wall or on the inside if walking in a pair or in a group, and hold it underneath a coat if possible.

The second step is possession recovery. If a bag is stolen, check the bins around the area the incident took place, as bags tend to be discarded quickly, sometimes with just the obvious items of value taken. And it is always worth reporting the incident to the police. The Guàrdia Urbana station on the Ramblas is open 24 hours, although they may send victims to the Mossos d’Esquadra to file the incident. Alternatively, victims can call 112, or report the theft online, an option that is becoming more and more popular—online denuncias rose 74 percent between 2005 and 2006. It is necessary to go in person to sign it within 72 hours, but it saves a lot of time queuing.