As Barcelona sees a continued drop in overall crime, police pressure is forcing criminals to adapt, with organised gangs now employing brazen new tactics to steal high-value watches. A recent foiled robbery has highlighted a worrying trend: thieves are targeting tourists inside taxis, even on the city’s most prestigious boulevards.
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On 15th February, an American tourist had just settled into a taxi outside a hotel on the exclusive Passeig de Gràcia when a thief quickly entered the vehicle behind him and attempted to rip a watch from his wrist. The swift intervention of the hotel’s concierge, who ran to the taxi and physically pulled the assailant out by his waist, prevented the theft. The would-be thief, aided by two accomplices waiting nearby, then fled. Hotel security cameras captured the entire attempt.
The incident comes amidst a backdrop of generally improving safety statistics. According to the latest data, crime in Barcelona has been on a downward trend, with thefts reaching a decade low, excluding the pandemic years. However, this success appears to be pushing criminals towards more aggressive and targeted methods.
A Shift in Tactics
Although new and alarming for the Eixample district’s main artery, this modus operandi is not entirely unheard of in other parts of the city. “This is a method that is not common in that area, but it is common around the Casino and the Hotel Arts when the weather is good, people wear short sleeves and display good watches,” a police official explained to La Vanguardia.
Just a few months ago, plainclothes officers from the Mossos d’Esquadra’s multirecidivist unit, known as the fura, dismantled an entire organised group operating in the Ciutat Vella district. The group, all Moroccan nationals residing in Santa Coloma de Gramenet, specialised in targeting victims leaving the Casino Barcelona.
Police suspected the gang received inside information about high-value targets. Their method was systematic: one member would spot a victim with an expensive watch, another would pose as a taxi rank attendant to guide them to a specific cab, and as the victim relaxed inside, a third would lunge in to snatch the watch. Police apprehended the group after they stole a gold Rolex from a woman using this exact technique.
Hotels on High Alert
In response to the attempted robbery on Passeig de Gràcia, Mossos officers from the Eixample district have been visiting hotels along the boulevard to warn them of the new threat. They have emphasised the importance of reporting all incidents, even failed attempts, to help police track shifts in criminal behaviour. The warning is particularly timely as the city hosts major events like the Mobile World Congress, which attract both affluent visitors and the itinerant, specialised criminal gangs who prey on them.
The Passeig de Gràcia Association, an organisation representing local businesses and led by entrepreneur Luis Sans, is actively working to formalise a rapid communication network between hotel staff and police. The plan aims to use the doormen, concierges, and security assistants-who have a constant presence on the street-as a first line of defence.
“These staff who are permanently at the doors of businesses are prime spectators of everything that happens on Passeig de Gràcia and its surroundings,” a source noted, highlighting their unique ability to spot known offenders.
Police statistics indicate that whilst 80% of watch thieves are local opportunists, the remaining 20% are highly skilled specialists, often from Italy or Latin America, who travel internationally to target major cities and events. Despite these high-profile incidents, official figures show that reports of high-end watch thefts in Barcelona fell by 3% last year compared to the previous period, reinforcing the theory that while overall theft is down, the remaining criminals are becoming more daring.
