Ahhh, holidays (or vacations, sorry, North American friends; it just doesn’t sound right to me, I’m a creature of habit). That glorious time we take to leave our daily stresses behind and focus on enjoying ourselves! For most of us, our trips go without a hitch, that is, if you overlook budget airlines’ baggage fees and the inevitable forgotten toothbrush.

But for a small (and unlucky number of travellers, a holiday abroad can take an unexpected turn, not because of lost luggage, but because they fall victim to crime.

Europe: A Great Place to Travel 

Before we get on to discussing the risks one may face in Europe’s tourist hubs, it would be remiss of me not to tell you just how amazing this continent is. I have lived here all my life, I am a proud Scot (although I was born in England, my boyfriend won’t ever let me forget that), and I have many, many happy memories from adventures with my family and friends across this beautiful continent. 

Although only slightly bigger than the United States, Europe is a vibrant and diverse continent, rich with history and culture. Made up of 44 UN-recognised countries, it is home to over 287 languages, ancient archaeological sites, iconic landmarks, breathtaking natural landscapes, mouth-watering cuisine, and unique cultural experiences.

When hiking through Austria and Germany with a small group as a teenager, strangers welcomed us into their homes, offered free bed and board, and went out of their way to help us on our travels. As with anywhere in the world, there is so much goodness and kindness to be found. 

Despite the ongoing Russian invasions of Ukraine and regional tensions near the Middle East, Western and Central Europe consistently rank among the world’s most peaceful areas. With holidaymakers considering personal safety as their top priority when choosing a holiday destination, I would like to make it very clear that, while nobody can absolutely guarantee their safety when travelling, Europe remains one of the safest and most secure regions to visit by global standards.

Why do Criminals Target Tourists? 

The relationship between tourism and crime is fascinating, or at least I think it is. Research shows that whilst locals are more often victims of crime, particularly violent crime, tourists are disproportionately affected by property crimes such as pickpocketing, theft, or fraud.

But, you may ask, what about a tourist makes them an “easy target” for crime?

Well, to answer that, I will now sound like I am stereotyping a little, but it is these stereotypes that criminals also rely upon. Tourists are often assumed to be relatively affluent and more likely to be carrying large quantities of cash, expensive electronics, or valuable personal items. They are also easy to distinguish from locals: with distinctive accents, perhaps speaking in a foreign language, different dress styles, public map reading, and taking photographs of things a resident would’t give a second glance (I have undoubtedly been on both sides of that lens, street sign, drain cover, supermarket shelves, when I’m on holiday they’re all documented). 

Another risk factor that criminals prey upon, unfortunately, comes down to the happiness of the traveller themself. When people are on holiday, they tend to let their guard down, are more relaxed and are thus less vigilant and more easily distracted. Even if they are victimised, they are often more reluctant to bother reporting such incidents to the police, especially if language or time constraints are an issue.

For opportunistic criminals, places where tourists gather, such as restaurants, attractions, bars, and transportation hubs, are ideal locations to commit a crime. These areas work so well for criminal activity as they are usually noisy and crowded, which reduces a victim’s situational awareness and makes it easier for a thief to strike unnoticed. The “crime triangle” theory, developed in 1979, provides a basis for understanding and potentially reducing crime in these areas. According to this theory, predatory criminal acts occur when three key elements come together: “likely offenders, suitable targets and the absence of capable guardians”. 

Whilst this may sound rather complex, the theory essentially states that with a primed criminal, an ideal victim, such as a distracted tourist, and no monitoring third-party, such as a police officer or security guard, there is a higher chance of a crime being committed. Based on this idea, logic suggests that increasing the presence of police, security, and other authority figures in a vicinity would significantly decrease the likelihood of crime occurring. The main barrier to taking this approach, however, is the financial cost; government funds are becoming more strapped and difficult budgetary decisions must be made. Law enforcement bodies are doing the best they can with the resources they have.

Petty Crimes that Target Tourists

Whilst tourists, like anyone else, may become the victims of violent crime, such incidents, certainly within Europe, are blessedly rare.

More commonly, however, tourists find themselves targeted specifically by criminals committing lower-level offences categorised as “petty crime,” such as pickpocketing, phone snatching, or fraud. Although I will use the term “petty” to describe crime throughout this article, this is not intended to diminish the impact that these crimes have on their victims. What is considered “petty” or “minor” crime legally may still have a profound effect upon a person’s emotional, psychological, social and even physical well-being.

Whilst petty crime occurs in huge numbers, one must not forget that each crime has a victim who will experience and process their victimisation in their own way. 

Pickpocketing & Theft:  

Flickr cc: Danny Howard

Pickpocketing and other forms of petty theft remain among the most widespread crimes faced by visitors to Europe.

In 2024, the “European Pickpocketing Index” or “EPI” was created to rank the top 10 countries most frequently mentioned in online reviews using keywords like “pickpockets” or “stolen”. The researchers behind the EPI were also able to identify the top 5 theft hotspots within each country, pinpointing locations such as the Trevi Fountain in Rome, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and La Rambla in Barcelona as the top of these lists.

Having visited several of the locations reported on the EPI, I have been fortunate not to have fallen victim to theft; however, knowing how common petty theft is has made me more mindful of my belongings when I visit busy or touristy places. 

Using simple tips such as these may be worth considering:

1. Ensure that you leave any valuables secured at your accommodation when you don’t need them.
2. Keep your bag zipped and worn in front of you or across your chest.
3. Avoid keeping items like phones or wallets in obvious places like your back trouser pocket. 

Although visiting places where pickpockets are known to operate may give one cause for concern, so long as you are careful and take steps to protect your belongings, you’ll very likely be just fine. 

(On a side note, whenever I see “pickpockets operate in this area” signs, like the one above, I find them quite amusing. I absolutely understand what they mean, but to me, they read less as a warning and more as information, almost as though the pickpockets have been the people to install them. They always make me chuckle.)

Case Study - London

Although the UK doesn’t feature in the EPI’s “Top 10”, there is still a problem with petty theft. Or should I say, London has a petty theft problem; whilst thieves operate nationwide, all 10 of the places in the UK where you are most likely to be pickpocketed are within this city. 

However, this case study isn’t about pickpockets, as London is now facing a plague of mobile snatch thefts, a rising crime problem that hoteliers believe has been discouraging international visitors. Between July 2023 and July 2024, suspects across the UK managed to steal 83,900 mobile phones from victims; shockingly, 65,600 of these thefts occurred in London. This documented surge in mobile phone thefts is aided, in part, by the number of crimes committed by cyclists on electric bikes that have often been modified to exceed the UK’s 15.5mph motorised legal limit.

These e-bikes allow riders to cycle past unsuspecting people carrying their phones in their hands and snatch them; the suspect can be off the scene before the victim has even realised what has happened! 

You may feel inclined to take the London Underground to avoid this problem on the streets, but unfortunately, public transport is not safer!

Thieves strike across the city’s eleven underground train lines, taking phones from sleeping passengers or snatching them from victims’ hands and darting off the train as the doors close.

London’s police face a gargantuan task, as these phone snatch thieves are often operating within gangs, and many of the devices they steal are immediately sent abroad for resale. Despite the odds firmly stacked against them, London’s police forces have been trying to step up their efforts by introducing super-fast e-bikes of their own for navigating the city’s streets, and working directly with phone companies to devise new tracking and investigative techniques, all in a bid to stay ahead in an ever-evolving criminal landscape. 

Scams and Fraud:

Tourists are also often the primary targets of fraudsters or scam artists who aim to deceive them into parting with their money. Scammers rely upon exploiting the unfamiliarity of unsuspecting tourists with local customs, language, or geography. Just like pickpockets, they tend to operate in busy tourist hotspots where people are more likely to be distracted.

The range of scams targeting people in tourist hotspots is broad, and their specifics are constantly evolving, but many follow similar patterns.

Here are some of the most common ones to look out for:

1. Distraction Scams: This versatile scam is remarkably simple; a fraudster may employ any of various techniques to capture their victim’s attention, allowing their accomplice to slip in unnoticed and steal the victim’s property. Distractions come in multiple forms, from asking for signatures on a petition to a well-positioned street performer, or spilling a drink on the victim “accidentally”; I have even recently learned of scammers dropping fake “bird poo” onto the victim and offering to help clean it up! 

2. Free Gift Scams: This scam I first fell for as a child. Whilst on a family holiday in Venice, a man handed my little sister a bouquet of roses, then turned to speak to my Dad. Later, I commented on how kind the man’s gesture was, only for my Dad to reveal that he had been charged €20. Dad couldn’t bring himself to take the roses away from my delighted sister, so he paid. Tactics such as these are replicated with a variety of items, flowers, souvenirs, bracelets, or toys, all given with the indication that they are a “gift”, before the scammer then demands payment. 

3. Charity Scams: This is another scam that I have definitely been tripped up by and encounter regularly in Glasgow’s city centre: fake charity collectors. While most charity workers are genuine, some are not. In the past, I have been duped into giving money to “charities” that I later found to have shell websites or have already been exposed as frauds in news reports.

To avoid being caught out: ask for official ID badges, verify that the collector works for a registered charity, and that they can demonstrate their charity’s purpose and what work they do. If you’re ever unsure, politely decline and walk away. If a charity is genuine, you can always donate safely online at a later time.

4. Unlicensed Taxis: Riding in an unlicensed taxi can also be a costly mistake. Unlicensed drivers often inflate rates by taking deliberately long routes to drive up (pun not intended) their fares, relying on the likelihood that you don’t know any better. To avoid this, always use licensed taxis, look for official signage, and ensure the driver has their meter running throughout your journey.

5. Fake Ticket Sellers: Another con to watch out for is the sale of counterfeit tickets and passes for popular attractions or sold-out events. Fake vendors may seem like a dream come true, but the tickets they’re selling won’t work; to avoid wasting money and missing out, ensure that you buy your tickets directly from the official website or the venue itself.

6. Skimming Devices (ATMs & Ticket Machines): Some scammers install skimmers, devices designed to read card details, on ATMs or transport ticket machines, and use cameras to steal PINs. Once scammers have obtained your card details, they can create counterfeit cards to use in fraudulent transactions. If you approach a machine and notice anything unusual, such as loose parts, exposed wires, or abnormal attachments over the card reader or pin pad, don’t use it. 

If you haven’t gathered from my anecdotes, I may not be the best person to advise anybody on avoiding being caught out by scams. I have been caught out many times in my adult life, especially since I moved to Glasgow; I would like to think of myself as big-hearted or trusting, rather admirable qualities, but honestly, the truth is that I am just a little bit naïve.

Although there's no golden bullet piece of advice when it comes to avoiding being caught out by scammers, if I had to say anything, it would be this: in city centres and tourist hotspots, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. And if your gut tells you that something doesn’t feel right, trust it; it’s your safest bet.

Travel Smart

Although Europe is generally considered a safe place to travel, and I would feel confident recommending that anybody takes a holiday in any number of its countries, even the best-laid plans can sometimes go awry (what’s funny here is that I wrote this phrase without thinking, and then realised I was quoting Scottish poet Robert Burns’ “To a Mouse”, I couldn’t possibly change it after that).

Anyway, tangent over, and I do apologise. Where were we? For all we make the best efforts to enjoy our holidays safely, tourists are attractive targets for petty criminals. Eager to part us from our treasured possessions and hard-earned money, they prey on us at our most relaxed, and sadly, most vulnerable.

I would hate to deter anybody from travelling, and personally recommend the countries of Europe as fantastic places to visit.

Instead, I hope this piece serves as a gentle reminder to stay alert, take preventive steps to protect your valuables, and trust your instincts when things don’t seem right. By exercising a little bit of caution, you can ensure that your trip is memorable, for all the right reasons. 

If the Worst Should Happen:

Should anything go wrong while you are travelling abroad, your first point of contact should always be your home country’s embassy, high commission, or consulate in the country you’re visiting. They can offer support, assist with translation, and guide you through reporting the incident to local police or taking any further necessary steps.

Although this is not an official website, it appears to provide the contact details and addresses for a wide range of diplomatic missions: https://www.embassy-worldwide.com/  
• Pan-European Emergency Number: 112

Please click the photo below for a collection of my European Criminological Perspectives columns:

Cerys Tandy is snsvs’ European Criminological Perspectives Editor. She is currently studying for an MSc in Psychology at the University of Stirling, having previously completed a degree in Criminology and Sociology. Whilst Cerys currently feels a little lost when it comes to her future, she is deeply fascinated by the study of crime, with a particular focus on ensuring that victims receive the very best care and support. When Cerys has time away from her studies, she loves escaping the city for hikes, loch swims, and wildlife watching with her partner in the Scottish countryside.