Paris, Rome and Barcelona are the world’s pickpocket capitals, according to a new analysis of global travel data. Consequently, the ranking identifies these three cities as having the highest risk of tourist robberies.

Luggage storage network Radical Storage compiled the list. Moreover, they analysed more than 13,000 travel reviews for mentions of insecurity, theft and fraud. Therefore, the findings suggest visitors must remain vigilant against street crime in these top-tier destinations.

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European pickpocket capitals

France’s capital took the top spot. In Paris, areas surrounding the Eiffel Tower and Montmartre district were flagged as critical zones for petty crime. Additionally, the analysis highlighted specific scams. These include the notorious “friendship bracelet” scheme, fake charity petitions and distraction thefts.

Rome followed in second place. In the Italian capital, most thefts occur around the historic centre’s crowded landmarks. Additionally, thefts happen within the city’s congested public transport network.

Barcelona completes the podium. The Spanish city records a high volume of pickpockets. Moreover, scams involve inflated prices, deceptive tours and currency exchange fraud. However, overall crime rates recently fell by 6.1%. Consequently, the report pinpoints three specific locations for frequent incidents:

The global top ten

Following the European trio, the list of cities with the most reported security issues spans the globe. Consequently, the full top ten includes major hubs in Thailand, Turkey and the United States.

According to the data, cities following Barcelona are Bangkok, Orlando, Istanbul, New York, Milan, Las Vegas and Delhi.

Safest destinations for travellers

At the other end of the spectrum, the study identified cities where tourists report the highest sense of security. Moreover, in these locations, only 0.1% of reviews referenced robberies or safety concerns.

Warsaw, Poland, leads the list of safe havens. Additionally, it is followed by Nice (France), Zürich (Switzerland), Heraklion (Greece), Mugla (Turkey), Lima (Peru), Santiago (Chile), Shanghai (China), Doha (Qatar) and Hanoi (Vietnam).

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