One in four people living in the Barcelona metropolitan area fell victim to at least one crime in 2024. The latest Barcelona crime statistics 2024, released by Institut Metròpoli, show that non-violent theft remains the most common issue facing residents. However, digital offences are becoming increasingly prevalent.
When online crimes are included in the data, the victimisation rate climbs significantly. Therefore, the survey indicates that nearly a third of the population (32.7%) experienced either physical or digital crime last year.
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Barcelona Crime Statistics 2024: Non-Violent Theft Dominates
The Barcelona Metropolitan Area Victimization Survey (Evamb) highlights that incidents affecting personal security are the most frequent. Approximately 18.3% of residents reported incidents such as the theft of bags, wallets, or mobile phones. Crucially, the data specifies that these thefts were committed without violence.
Vehicle-related crime affected 7.4% of the population. This category includes the theft of vehicles themselves as well as the theft of accessories or items left inside cars and motorcycles. Meanwhile, police data has previously highlighted the significant impact of repeat offenders in Catalonia, who are responsible for a disproportionate number of such incidents.
Residential security remains a concern, though attempted break-ins were more common than completed ones. While 2.4% of households reported attempted robberies, only 1.1% were actually burgled. Consequently, theft from main residences and second homes affected 3.3% and 0.8% of the population respectively.
Barcelona Crime Statistics 2024: Digital Fraud Affects 13% of Residents
The report underscores a significant shift towards cybercrime. According to the official report by Institut Metròpoli, 13.7% of residents were victims of digital offences in 2024.
Online shopping scams were the primary driver of these figures, affecting 5.6% of the population. In addition, fraudulent bank payments and money theft via online platforms followed closely, impacting 5.5% of respondents.
Barcelona Crime Statistics 2024: L’Hospitalet and Barcelona See Highest Rates
The likelihood of becoming a victim varies significantly across the metropolitan area. L’Hospitalet de Llobregat recorded the highest victimisation rate at 30.8%, followed closely by the city of Barcelona at 28.6%.
Other areas with notable figures include Badalona (28.2%) and the Besòs area (26.2%). In contrast, residents in Vallès-Collserola and Sant Cugat del Vallès reported the highest satisfaction with security levels in their neighbourhoods.
Barcelona Crime Statistics 2024: Perception of Safety Remains Stable
Despite these figures, the majority of residents do not report high levels of anxiety regarding crime. The survey found that 53% of respondents are “little or not at all worried” about becoming a victim of physical or digital offences. This perception exists even as law enforcement warns of a rising firearm threat from criminal networks in the region.
Residents rated the security of their neighbourhoods at an average of 6.46 out of 10. Furthermore, data collected between 2024 and 2025 suggests a slight decrease in crimes related to personal security, vehicles, and homes is already underway.
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