JAKARTA - The authorities of Barcelona, Spain have unveiled a new plan to tackle crime during the summer, as tourist numbers and crime against tourists return to pre-pandemic levels.
Under 'Operation Summer', the city council announced there would be 12 percent more police officers on the busiest streets than last year, and tougher penalties for repeated pickpockets.
The capital city of Catalonia is known to be full of pickpockets. In 2018 there were an average of 12 pickpockets per hour, according to Spain's Interior Ministry. The big drop in street robberies in 2021, down 56 percent compared to 2019, suggesting the downturn in tourists is a big contributor.
Now, as visitors once again fill the dark lanes of the Gothic Quarter, the petty criminals are also back. More than 80 people were arrested over one weekend from May 20-21, mostly for pickpocketing, according to local media reports.
Lawyers who serve at Barcelona's 'Ciutat de la Justicia' law court, have likened inflows to the worst figures for 2019, Crónica Global reports, even before the peak tourist season.
In a bid to fight another crime wave, the deputy mayor and head of security, Albert Batlle, today (May 30) announced a seven-pronged plan to make Barcelona safer.
"We don't want to spend this summer as if this is a hopeless fate that we have to surrender, like one of the Egyptian plagues," he told a news conference, quoted from Euronews on June 12.
The first measure is to prevent pickpocketing and take action against repeat offenders, who were previously only fined the same small amount for stealing items worth less than 400 euros.
Barcelona's Guàrdia Urbana (city police), working alongside the Mossos d'Esquadra (regional police) of the Catalan government, will enact a new plan to detect thieves before they can strike again.
More public security patrols, conducted by uniformed and plainclothes police officers, are being carried out in areas "where there is a large concentration of nightlife individuals and companies," a City Council spokesman told Euronews Travel.
The security plan will focus on hotspots in the old city (Ciutat Vella), Eixample and the busiest tourist and commercial areas, as well as Barcelona's beaches.
Tourists could also find themselves on the sharp end of tougher action for drunken and disorderly behavior, with particular attention being paid to incidents around tourist accommodations, the City Council added.
How can tourists protect themselves in Barcelona? Since tourists have long been targets for thieves in Barcelona, the regional police have shared some tips to help people stay alert.
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They suggest keeping things in your inner pocket, and wearing your bag in front of you, to avoid two-way attacks from 'stalkers' and 'pickers'. This is where one person might hit you from the side or in front, exposing you to a second thief in the back who reaches into your pocket or bag.
Particular attention should be paid to public transport and with your phone in bars and restaurants.
Mossos d'Esquadra adds, it's good to hide expensive watches or other jewelry from prying eyes. If you are caught in a robbery - or witness a breach, call the emergency police number on 112.
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