Barcelona has a new plan to tackle crime against tourists this summer. City officials announced 12% more police on the streets and harsher sentences for repeat pickpockets.
The city has been notorious for pickpocketing, targeting tourists. Spain’s interior ministry said there was an average of 12 robberies an hour in 2018.
The crackdown has begun. More than 80 people were arrested in a single weekend from 20-21 May, mostly for theft.
It will crack down on repeat offenders and bolster security in tourist hotspots in the old city and beach areas.
