Crime surge alarms Spanish tourism hotspot of Barcelona

MANILA, Philippines — A surge in muggings and burglaries in Barcelona, mainly targeting tourists, has sparked alarm in Spain’s second-largest city, leading local residents to form their own crime-fighting patrols.

The US consulate in Barcelona on Wednesday warned its nationals of “an increase in violent crime in the city” and urged them not to “display signs of wealth such as wearing expensive jewelry or watches.”

The alert came just days after Afghanistan’s ambassador to Spain was injured in a group mugging to steal his watch in the city center, and a 91-year-old French woman was hospitalized after thieves yanked her necklace, causing her to fall.

Barcelona, a European tourist hotspot, has recorded eight murders since July, an unusually high number for the Mediterranean seaside city, and in June a visiting South Korean public servant died from injuries she suffered during a mugging.

The city’s hotel association has warned that Barcelona’s reputation could be “seriously harmed.”

Albert Batlle, Barcelona’s deputy mayor in charge of security, acknowledged there was a “security crisis” but called for a “calm and responsible analysis” of the problem.

Thefts and violent robberies in Barcelona, a city of 1.6 million residents, jumped by 28 percent between 2016 and 2018, according to police figures.