Madrid: Crime

The city's pickpockets, muggers and scam artists are well trained and adept at choosing their victims, and tourists are their preferred targets. Increasingly, city officials and foreign embassies are urging tourists to beware in Madrid as petty crime is on the rise. Pickpockets are rife, so keep your hand on your bags and don’t put your purse in your pocket and be wary of backpacks, as pickpockets are good at opening them and stealing the contents. Most pickpockets are not Spanish, but immigrants, dressed as tourists. These people are practiced at what they do so don’t take risks with your belongings.