Although marijuana is not directly related to the issue of pickpockets, it’s worth talking about it, because you can easily be targeted by the thieves.
It has happened more than once that one of my friends, relatives, acquaintances or clients visited me in Barcelona and became victims of pickpocketing. It also meant that their whole experience of the city was destroyed. I think my thoughts of the topic might be useful for those visiting Barcelona.
First of all, don’t underestimate the pickpockets in Barcelona! (In fact, you underestimate them, if you think my words below are exaggerated. If that is the case, read again this article!)
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- If you think you’re familiar enough with the urban reality to deal with the danger of pickpocketing anywhere, even in Mos Eisley, I have to tell you that you’re mistaken. In Barcelona, you’re likely to be a victim of pickpocketing, if not you, then your friend or partner. Either way, the consequences can be devastating.
- If you think that you can keep an eye on your belongings because that’s how you’re conditioned, you’re very wrong. In reality, because you’re not a machine, you just can’t watch your stuff all the time. At that very moment when your guard is down, you’re most likely to be robbed.
- If you think you can’t be robbed more than once, you’re living in another universe. According to statistics, the probability that you’ll be a victim of pickpocketing again within 5 minutes of being robbed is 0.5. The same probability applies to being robbed within an hour. It is not only bad luck. In the urban realm you are the prey and your predators are watching you constantly. So, it is not a surprise that you become a victim. If you don’t realise it, you’re likely to experience to be a victim again and again.
- You are very wrong, if you think that you can’t be robbed because you’re pregnant, you’re pushing your baby in a stroller or you’re limping as a result of an accident. Criminals don’t care who are you just as hyenas on the savannah preying on the weakest. In the city, children, old and disabled people are the weakest ones. If you think that pickpockets are care about them, you are mistaken and likely to be robbed.
- If you think you can recognise the suspicious people by their look and language, you’re really wrong. A sweet looking 80-year-old woman, a guy in the wheelchair or parents with their children can be pickpockets just like a typical amateur thief with a bad guy aesthetics. If you are using logic and stereotyping, you are likely to be robbed.
- If you’re careful and think you don’t have anything valuable with you, after being robbed you’ll realise how wrong you were. The process of redoing your documents is a waste of money and days of your life for nothing. If you don’t value the little stuff you have with you, someone will take it!
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Any big city with lots of tourists is attractive for pickpockets. In terms of pickpocketing, Barcelona stands out from other cities. You can minimise the risks of becoming a victim by keeping my advices. Photo: Pixabay.com)
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Some simple tips against pickpockets in Barcelona
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- It’s the best if you never have more than €20 in cash with you when going out,
- If the loss of your credit card can be reported with a few clicks,
- If you have certified copies of your important documents, or if you don’t have your documents with you at all, because it’s still better to get into an embarrassing situation with the police than to cry after losing your papers…
- When you’re in Barcelona, it’s not worth to be fashionable. Just try not to stand out too much to avoid the attention of pickpockets,
- Forget your back pocket,
- I beg you not to carry a handbag or a fanny pack, just if you want to hand your belongings to the pickpockets on a plate. (If you think you’re protecting your belongings by keeping them close to your body, you’re very wrong!)
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How do pickpockets relate to this marijuana blog?
Indirectly. Tourists in pairs or in a small group, who visit a cannabis club for a memorable marijuana experience, can be targeted by pickpockets. Evidentially I’m not talking about getting robbed inside the club but on the way of leaving or heading to the club. Tourists are always prime targets for thieves as being a bit more careless and excited, perhaps tipsy or even stoned. So please be careful!
To sum up: the pickpockets in Barcelona are not violent. If they do their job well, you won’t even notice anything. If they make a mistake and do their job badly, they’ll disappear in a second, and that’s what’s so annoying about them. They avoid any confrontation, which means they are not aggressive at all. Barcelona is very sophisticated when it comes to pickpocketing. All in all, if you’re careful, you’ll be fine. 🙂
If you want to read about cannabis and club scams, you should read my article on fake weed.