The Victimization Survey, conducted annually by the City Council of Barcelona, reveals that 30.2% of citizens experienced a criminal incident last year. This data includes both traditional crimes and cybercrimes.
The figure represents a decrease of over five percentage points in traditional crimes (5.4%) and 4.8% in cybercrimes, compared to the previous survey. These victimization levels are very similar to those recorded in 2020, a year marked by the pandemic.
Theft of bags or wallets are the most common crimes, affecting 5.6% of respondents. Scams or online purchase deceptions are also frequent. Additionally, 3.3% have experienced attempted mobile phone theft and 2.2% attempted home burglaries. In the digital realm, 13.3% of respondents were victims of cybercrime.
Regarding the locations where most crimes occur, public spaces, such as busy streets, top the list with 54.3% of cases, followed by public transport with 28%.
The survey also details the victimization rate by district. Ciutat Vella is the district with the most recorded criminal incidents, at 36.3%. It is followed by Eixample (31.9%), Sant Andreu (31.7%), Gràcia (31.3%), Les Corts (30%), Sants-Montjuïc (29.8%), Sarrià – Sant Gervasi (27.7%), Horta-Guinardó (29.5%), Sant Martí (27.4%), and Nou Barris (29.3%).
The general perception of safety in the city is improving. However, 58.3% of respondents state they are "alert" when using public transport and feel unsafe in dark or poorly lit areas.
