While crime rates in Barcelona have fallen to decade-low levels, the neighbouring city of L’Hospitalet de Llobregat is facing a deepening security crisis. Criminal offences in Catalonia’s second-largest city increased by 10.1% in 2025, following a 6.4% rise the previous year, as data from the Local Security Board revealed on Thursday.

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In response to the escalating situation, the Catalan Minister of the Interior, Núria Parlon, announced a new ‘shock plan’ to curb the trend. The move comes as public concern reaches historic highs, with robberies in businesses and vehicles showing a particularly sharp increase.

A Worsening Trend

The latest figures confirm a worrying trajectory for the municipality. Robberies involving force in establishments and vehicles have climbed by a staggering 37.5% over the last year. Street-level robberies with violence and intimidation, which often generate significant public alarm, also rose by 3.1%, as reported by El Periódico.

The growing sense of insecurity is taking a human toll, becoming a dominant topic of conversation online and in local communities. Mayor of L’Hospitalet, David Quirós, admitted he was “very concerned” by the data.

“It cannot be that our elderly residents are staying home after six in the evening because they are afraid to go out,” Quirós stated, highlighting the urgent need for action.

Despite the rising crime rate, authorities pointed to a 7.7% increase in arrests, from 4,359 in 2024 to 4,695 in 2025. Mayor Quirós also noted a strong link between many thefts and so-called ‘narcolocales’, or drug dens. Over the last year, police shut down 26 drug-selling points, with another raid taking place this week.

Authorities Announce ‘Shock Plan’

Minister Parlon of the Generalitat de Catalunya announced the plan, which authorities will implement immediately this spring. It marks a significant multi-agency effort to restore public confidence. Parlon outlined several key measures, including:

  • Increased Police Presence: Authorities will assign between 25 and 30 new Mossos d’Esquadra officers from this summer’s graduating class to L’Hospitalet in two phases between June and August.
  • Transport Security: Enhanced police checks on public transport and greater coordination with police in Barcelona to address the mobility of criminals.
  • Targeted Operations: Ramping up existing special operations like ‘Plan Kanpai’ against multi-recidivist offenders and ‘Plan Daga’ to combat the carrying of knives and other weapons in public.
  • Nightlife Focus: Increased patrols in nightlife areas, particularly the Famades industrial estate on the border with Cornellà de Llobregat.

“Just as we have reversed the data at El Prat Airport, we will do it in L’Hospitalet,” Parlon affirmed with confidence. Carlos Prieto, the central government’s delegate in Catalonia, echoed her resolve. “There is a clear determination. We are going to achieve it. All resources are available,” he said.

City Hall’s Multi-Pronged Approach

In addition to the regional government’s plan, the L’Hospitalet City Council is rolling out its own initiatives. Mayor Quirós announced that the city will install 200 new surveillance cameras across the municipality during 2026. He also confirmed the location for a long-awaited new joint police station for the local Guàrdia Urbana and the National Police Corps. The city will build the 10,000-square-metre facility on Avenida Pau Casals at the intersection with Avenida Carrilet.

Furthermore, the city will open a recruitment process for 32 new local police officers to bolster the current 363-strong force, following the resolution of a long-standing labour dispute late last year. While Quirós acknowledged that turning the situation around will be a “slow process,” he believes these combined efforts are a step “in the right direction.”

Political Fallout and Public Concern

The opposition was quick to criticise the ruling Socialist party’s handling of the situation. Jaume Graells, leader of the ERC+EUiA coalition, told La Vanguardia, “When crimes in L’Hospitalet go up by 10% while they go down in the rest of the country, it’s clear there is a failure in the model and in municipal management.”

The Popular Party (PP) spokesperson, Sonia Esplugas, delivered an even sharper critique, stating, “The PSC has turned L’Hospitalet into the capital of crime.” Both opposition parties have called for the reinstatement of a direct telephone number for the Guàrdia Urbana, which authorities had previously rerouted through the general 112 emergency service.