barcelona crime

Out of context: Reply #38

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  • raf0

    I came back from Barcelona last night. I had no problem walking around with a good dslr, but I made sure my pockets couldn't be emptied by robbers too easily.
    Having the safest camera backpack out there doesn't hurt either. The Lowepro's Flipside only opens from inside, you have to take if off your back first.


    I once saw a woman being robbed there on the street by a few small guys who quickly disappeared in one of the gazillion of small streets. On the beach I saw robbers in action, also there I saw a guy who pretended to steal something only to give it back to the owner as a way to remind him to be more careful. A friend of mine said he once woke up on the beach in Barcelona in the morning, some girl stealing his backpack he was using as a pillow. He had to chase her and get it back.
    One of the most impressive techniques is to steal a bag hanging on a chair in a street cafe, intercepting it from a running moto, I saw this live in Valencia years ago.

    BCN seems relatively safe, at least you know you're much more likely to be robbed than stabbed - that's comforting in a way.

    Uh, speaking of motos (and safety), we stayed in Barri Gòtic and at 5 am the first night we were woken up by commotion on the street. There was a scooter burning just a few meters from the window (we were on the ground level). It was so absurd and abrupt, we started preparing for evacuation as the wall next to the moto caught fire too. I wasn't awake enough to reach for the camera before the fire squad arrived though.

    Also, while we're on this, the biggest robbers in Barcelona anyway are the Socialist Government who tax you €3000/year Autonomo tax for the pleasure of being a freelancer, regardless of having any income and on top of income tax. This is what in my opinion prevents Barcelona (and Spain in general) from being a vivid designer mecca it otherwise is set out to be.

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    • that might be true, but if you carry a camera bag, or a laptop bag, you let them know what you are carrying before they open itMeeklo
    • open it, if instead you carry a dirty/ shitty pack, they will assume you are carrying dirty laundryMeeklo
    • Yup, I had a small dirty bag for years. It's just Flipside packs the camera & 3 lenses nicely and has to be taken off you first.raf
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