Going to Mallorca this Summer? Be very careful as the island is plagued by gangs of pick-pockets (carteristas). The police have made many arrests but have only succeeded in driving them out of Palma into the tourist resorts. As a regular visitor to the island since 1979 I did not expect to find trouble, but I did. Here's the story...
Arrived in Puerto Pollensa on Sat May 18, went to the Eroski supermarket on the Sunday morning to stock up with groceries. As we entered I took out my wallet to extract a coin for the trolley, that apparently was my first mistake as at that point they targeted me. Shortly after two men approached us and one engaged my wife in a conversation about an item we were looking at on the shelves. The other stood to my right and slightly behind. The guy talking to my wife was not speaking English and as I have reasonable Spanish, my wife speaks none, I leaned across to ask what the problem was. At that point the guy to my right walked behind me and then the two of them turned and quickly left, taking my wallet with them. Fortunately I realised immediately what had happened, but too late they had disappeared. They target you at the entrance as this affords them an easy escape and they also rely on you not noticing the loss until you reach the check-out.
The wallet contained a credit card, a bank debit card and Euros. I immediately rang and cancelled the cards and suffered no loss. The wallet was subsequently found in the street in Pollensa, about 7 Km away, completely intact apart from the money. The finder handed it to the police, as I had inside my mobile number they rang me on the Monday and I got my wallet and cards back. The cards being useless of course since I had cancelled them. Over the next three days I had to recruit the help of a local Spanish speaker to assist me in going to the Guardia Civil to prepare a complaint form for my insurance, not a good way to open your holiday experience.
Now I don't carry cards unless I intend to use them, carry only enough money for my anticipated spend and keep my wallet in a zipped pocket.
Sorry to hear that. It doesn't even matter if little is stolen- its still upsetting to happen isn't it?
I am so sorry to read this, must have been very upsetting especially as it is a place you have been loyal to for a number of years.
It sounds like you got a fair amount of help and cooperation from the police and knowing some Spanish must have helped you. Makes you wonder if it is some form of organised crime rather than opportunistic crime.
I am terrified as my son is going to Magaluf
this summer and it is his first ever holiday with friends and he's a bit clueless and naive (saved up for he holiday from paper round money). I can't even think about it most of the time.
I am trying to focus on practical help and thinking of getting him one of those prepaid cash card things so he doesn't have to take his bank card with him as I know it will get either stolen or lost. He has no idea what it is like out there and has only ever been to quiet places with us in he past.
Doe
It sounds like you got a fair amount of help and cooperation from the police and knowing some Spanish must have helped you. Makes you wonder if it is some form of organised crime rather than opportunistic crime.
I am terrified as my son is going to Magaluf
this summer and it is his first ever holiday with friends and he's a bit clueless and naive (saved up for he holiday from paper round money). I can't even think about it most of the time. I am trying to focus on practical help and thinking of getting him one of those prepaid cash card things so he doesn't have to take his bank card with him as I know it will get either stolen or lost. He has no idea what it is like out there and has only ever been to quiet places with us in he past.
Doe
I always wear my bag across my chest and my purse is attached to said bag by a chain. I use the chain all the time at home.
Am so sorry to hear this Pollensa especially as I've just read Alsa's thread re her friends suitcase being stolen
Hopefully you will be able to enjoy the rest of your holiday.
Ps I hope the supermarket has CCTV. Keep your eyes peeled for them as they may not remember you but you probably will remember them.
especially as I've just read Alsa's thread re her friends suitcase being stolen Hopefully you will be able to enjoy the rest of your holiday.
Ps I hope the supermarket has CCTV. Keep your eyes peeled for them as they may not remember you but you probably will remember them.
As a Mallorca lover I was very sorry to hear of your expierence. Thank you for sharing it as makes us all aware. I have never had a problem there and hope it dosn't grow. Benidorm and barcelona are another story
I've made this topic a sticky to ensure our members are on their guard.
tip do not carry your card money in one pocket wallet etc.only take enough out with you. for the day.your cards should have been left in the safe as back up.never carry a wallet round with you.put your money in small amounts in different pockets etc.there is all ways someone watching you even at home.
those pre paid cards are ok.but you still need to take a visa card with at least 3k to 7 k limit on it.just incase anything bad should happen.its common sence anywhere really.but in hols mode a lot forget.
never flash your money around.ie getting a wad of cash out to buy a 2 euro item.showing all around what you have.and where you put it back.pick pockets are every where.and the worst ones are the brits would you believe.those you turn to crime cause they have spent up or those who try to stop out there the whole summer.and fall on hard times.
those pre paid cards are ok.but you still need to take a visa card with at least 3k to 7 k limit on it.just incase anything bad should happen.its common sence anywhere really.but in hols mode a lot forget.
never flash your money around.ie getting a wad of cash out to buy a 2 euro item.showing all around what you have.and where you put it back.pick pockets are every where.and the worst ones are the brits would you believe.those you turn to crime cause they have spent up or those who try to stop out there the whole summer.and fall on hard times.
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Edited by
djwoody
2013-06-03 05:56:02
The thing is though the OP wasn't exactly flashing the cash they were getting out a Euro coin to put in a supermarket trolly so hardly asking for trouble or being irresponsible Supermarket shopping is hardly an outlandish and risky thing to do, it's a mundane everyday thing that millions do on holiday each year.
Also whilst you are bad mouthing Brits the OP says that the people that distracted him and his wife were speaking Spanish !
So hardly a case of a distracted tourist being mugged by one of their own countrymen like you are implying !
Doe
Also whilst you are bad mouthing Brits the OP says that the people that distracted him and his wife were speaking Spanish !
So hardly a case of a distracted tourist being mugged by one of their own countrymen like you are implying !
Doe
I'm sorry to hear about your incident Pollensa , it's a very hard and harsh experience to go through , and its sounds as though you are a kind and helpful person and this gave the criminals their chance to take advantage of your good nature .
I'm really very careful with cards and money almost obsessively , I just don't trust anyone and tend to think that there is a suspicious motive to most things and probably appear to be defensive and distant to strangers until I know them better and find them trustworthy in my eyes . My defences go up automatically if someone approaches me and I act that way because of what I see in my job . I work in retail and can spot body language displayed by shoplifters from experience , they're not all scruffy and look a bit iffy , but are usually smart and try to engage in conversation to divert you from their activities , I'm very suspicious of people being all matey for no apparent reason , we can only learn from our experiences and having been held up at gunpoint in my job a few years ago I find myself being very aware of people very close or around me who I don't know , I just always expect them to have an ulterior motive , the truth is bad things do happen to totally innocent and decent people , everyone should realise that it's very easy to become a victim to criminals like this and think seriously about taking precautions to try and prevent it from happening .
Thanks , Pollensa , for bringing this to everyone's attention despite your loss , it's not really something we want to associate with the excitement of holidays but is a timely reminder as many people set off on their annual hols to be careful and vigilant , because sadly it does happen .
I'm really very careful with cards and money almost obsessively , I just don't trust anyone and tend to think that there is a suspicious motive to most things and probably appear to be defensive and distant to strangers until I know them better and find them trustworthy in my eyes . My defences go up automatically if someone approaches me and I act that way because of what I see in my job . I work in retail and can spot body language displayed by shoplifters from experience , they're not all scruffy and look a bit iffy , but are usually smart and try to engage in conversation to divert you from their activities , I'm very suspicious of people being all matey for no apparent reason , we can only learn from our experiences and having been held up at gunpoint in my job a few years ago I find myself being very aware of people very close or around me who I don't know , I just always expect them to have an ulterior motive , the truth is bad things do happen to totally innocent and decent people , everyone should realise that it's very easy to become a victim to criminals like this and think seriously about taking precautions to try and prevent it from happening .
Thanks , Pollensa , for bringing this to everyone's attention despite your loss , it's not really something we want to associate with the excitement of holidays but is a timely reminder as many people set off on their annual hols to be careful and vigilant , because sadly it does happen .
doe where did i say they was from the uk that picked his pocket.i am just saying since 82 i first went away.they will do anything to have money to stay out there.as for spanish 9/10 they are not from spain anyway.
One off cases and it wont be fair to generalize. Although I'm from London but I have been a great fan of Spain and their lifestyle. What better than watching football match in the and returning back to the luxury villa,
Pick-pockets are still very active in Mallorca.
I had my camera stolen from inside a small case on my belt on my right side. It was taken near the Cathedral in Palma where the horses and carriages are. One of the men in the carriages called out "hello" and I felt as though someone had brushed past me. A few minutes later I found that the camera which fitted snuggly in its case was gone. The memory card had thousands of images for work purposes which I had not transferred off. The loss is devastating. I can replace the camera but not my journalism work.
The pickpockets work together spotting targets. They may be talking on mobiles relaying information about targets to an accomplice. They may be women as well as men.
I have found that pick-pockets are very active across the Island. The Cathedral area is a hotspot. The police are so well aware of the problem that when I reported the loss to the police and signed the 6 copies of my statement they had already filled in the max memory card size details!
I gather that goods are often sold in the street markets about two weeks later (when tourists have left). They also steal clothes to sell on the secondhand clothes markets.
The locals say they don't wear backpacks and if the have one they wear it across their front.
All bags should be worn to the front.
Never keep anything in your trouser pockets.
Carry small amounts of cash and few cards.
Pickpockets also operate in the tunnels at Calobra/Pareis Stream and on the busses from the airport to the town centre.
It seems that the theft problems have continued for years without the authorities doing anything effective to end it. CCTV would help!
I had my camera stolen from inside a small case on my belt on my right side. It was taken near the Cathedral in Palma where the horses and carriages are. One of the men in the carriages called out "hello" and I felt as though someone had brushed past me. A few minutes later I found that the camera which fitted snuggly in its case was gone. The memory card had thousands of images for work purposes which I had not transferred off. The loss is devastating. I can replace the camera but not my journalism work.
The pickpockets work together spotting targets. They may be talking on mobiles relaying information about targets to an accomplice. They may be women as well as men.
I have found that pick-pockets are very active across the Island. The Cathedral area is a hotspot. The police are so well aware of the problem that when I reported the loss to the police and signed the 6 copies of my statement they had already filled in the max memory card size details!
I gather that goods are often sold in the street markets about two weeks later (when tourists have left). They also steal clothes to sell on the secondhand clothes markets.
The locals say they don't wear backpacks and if the have one they wear it across their front.
All bags should be worn to the front.
Never keep anything in your trouser pockets.
Carry small amounts of cash and few cards.
Pickpockets also operate in the tunnels at Calobra/Pareis Stream and on the busses from the airport to the town centre.
It seems that the theft problems have continued for years without the authorities doing anything effective to end it. CCTV would help!
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