IF YOU ARE ROBBED

• If you experience a robbery or theft of your items, let the thieves take your items. Mace or pocket knives may be turned against you. Your safety is always more important than material objects because they are replaceable and you are not.

• File a police report at a local police station or call 112 and they will instruct you.

• Always keep a copy of any reports you file or forms you receive. Your home insurance might cover the stolen items.

• You can call Expanish Emergency number. We will be able to comfort you and advise you on possible next steps. 

Pick Pocketing 

1- Tourist sites and the metro

• Be especially careful on the metro, clubs, plaza de sol, anywhere with crowded people. 

2- Clothing

• Avoid wearing the typical tourist attire: colourful cap, camera around your neck, shorts, backpack. Go for a more discreet outfit and colours. It may not be as much fun, but you will attract less attention from pickpockets.

3- Documents and money

• Go out with as little money as possible, carrying only a credit card and a single identity document. Leave the rest of your documents and valuables in a safe place, in a locker, for example, in case the place where you are staying does not have anything foreseen for this type of situation.

4- Crossed bag

• If you can't go out without a bag, avoid a backpack and go for a cross-body bag, which you can cross and carry in front of you. Carry it with one hand on you at all times. In winter, hide it under your jacket or coat.

5- Google or Apple maps

• Have you ever got lost in the streets of the city centre? It's possible, it happens to many people. Avoid being on your phone in the middle of the street, stand next to a wall, facing the street. This way, you will go unnoticed and above all, you will be less vulnerable.

6- Cafés or terraces

• Never leave your bag at your feet or on a chair in a restaurant, café or terrace. Keep it between your knees. In the bar of some bars, there are hooks available for customers to keep your bag between your legs, it is recommended to use them.

7- Camera or mobile phone

• When taking a photo, hold the camera by the strap and when putting it away, close the bag and hold it tightly against your body. If you are a smartphone addict, don't get too distracted and be careful because pickpockets will take advantage of the slightest distraction to steal.

8- Fake tourists

• Pickpockets often try to blend into the crowd and pose as tourists. They pretend to be lost and open a huge map of the city in order to camouflage their gestures when trying to steal.

9- Other pickpocketing techniques

• If a group of people surround you to make you sign a petition, if someone pushes you or shouts at the thief, be careful, these are very typical pickpocketing techniques.

For Lost/Stolen Items

Remember you must make a police report. If there wasn’t any violence involved, you could also fill out the police report online: https://denuncias.policia.es/OVD/

Credit/Debit Card 

• Use the list of your important phone numbers to immediately call your bank in your home country to cancel the card. 

• Have the bank immediately reissue a new card and send it to the Expanish office.

• Send it to: 

Student Name 

c/o Expanish 

Calle Castelló 23, Bajo. Izq. 

Madrid, Spain 

28001

• As you will be without a credit/debit card for a week or so, Expanish can provide an emergency loan to cover daily costs until the card arrives. 

Passport 

• Visit your local consulate right away and make a claim. 

• Please check the Health & Safety section of your Welcome Pack for this information in Barcelona. 

• You can find contact information on the following page, and further details online.