This article will highlight how Ann Calverley, one of the lovely admins on the Mallorca Under the Sun Facebook Group was robbed in Palma de Mallorca. From Ann’s experience find out how to report a theft here in Spain, online, by telephone or directly at the police station.
And also find out the measures you can take to avoid the same happening to you on holiday.
Ann Calverley has been living in Mallorca for the past 18 years and like me has never been a victim of pickpocketing.
However, this changed just a few days ago, when she was robbed in Palma de Mallorca while visiting the city for the day.
Following a video I had made about crime in Mallorca for the Youtube channel, I have also been shocked to hear from my own subscribers on the Mallorca Under the Sun Youtube Channel that pickpocketing has been taking place more frequently than I had thought.
With the cost of living crisis affecting more people, there appears to be a rise in thefts whether from sunbeds on beaches, hire car break-ins or pickpocketing around market places, transport hubs or Palma city centre.
So in this article, I will explain what happened to Ann, how she reported the crime, and what steps you can take either as a resident or a tourist to avoid getting robbed in Palma de Mallorca.
Table of Contents
Robbed in Palma de Mallorca
It’s a sad reality that pickpockets prey on tourists and residents alike in Palma.
Ann Claverley, an Admin in the Mallorca Under the Sun Facebook Group had her purse pickpocketed in Plaza España on her way to get her bus.
This is one of the major areas where pickpockets operate as the bus and train stations are particularly busy.
This area is what Ann describes as a “pick-pocketing paradise” in Palma.
She had drawn attention to herself when her purse fell out of her bag while walking across Plaza España, and she slipped.
While disorientated and walking to the bus stop, her purse went onto to be stolen as she was about to get her bus, and she didn’t feel a thing.
To find out more incidences of pickpocketing in Mallorca, check out this article here.
How to report a crime online in Mallorca and Spain
You can report a crime online through this link here.
You will then have 72 hours to take the crime number provided online to a police station to get a print of the police report which you will need for insurance purposes.
There are some exceptions to using this service, however.
If you have experienced a physical violence, you know the person who attacked you, or it is a crime happening in the present time, then you will have to go to the police station.
So please use online reporting for crimes such as pickpocketing, vehicle break-ins, and thefts from hotel rooms or sunbeds.
You can also use this service for the loss of important documents required for travel such as passports.
Plus it can be used for scams too, in whichever form they occur.
Tourist Hotline for reporting a crime in Mallorca and Spain
There is a dedicated tourist hotline for reporting a crime in not just Mallorca but throughout Spain.
The telephone number is 902 102 112 and is available from 09:00 until 21:00 from Monday to Friday.
This service can be used in the same way for crimes mentioned above as if you were reporting these crimes online.
You will then have 48 hours to report this to the police station, to get a print out of the denuncia (your crime report).
Report a crime at a police station in Spain
You can also report a crime directly in a police station in Spain.
There are often interpreters working to help you make your police report.
Make sure you also get a printout of your denuncia (police report before you leave to use for insurance purposes.
Steps to take to avoid getting robbed in Palma de Mallorca
Be aware of who is around you and hold your valuables tight.
Avoid distractions. I always say just because someone talks to you, it doesn’t mean you have to talk back.
Having strangers talk to you could be a distraction for the contents of your bag to be emptied by someone they are working with.
Also, make sure you take a bag that best evades the pickpockets.
If you are sightseeing in Plama, make sure you take a bag that can be securely closed or has security features.
You can shop here for some suggested items from my Amazon shop. Don’t forget any purchase you make here will go towards supporting the channel.
It’s also worth noting that although crime in Mallorca isn’t commonplace, many holidaymakers come on holiday and enjoy the island incident free.
Just take a few steps to ensure your safety and the safety of your belongings to make sure your holiday is a good one.
