Monday, May 26, 2025
Spain has joined the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Germany in issuing public travel warnings over mobile phone use, as a rise in street-level thefts continues to target pedestrians and tourists distracted by their devices. Spanish authorities say phone snatching has surged in cities like Madrid, Barcelona, and Seville, prompting a national alert ahead of the summer season. Victims are often approached while texting, photographing, or navigating in public—moments when their attention is low and their phones are visible. In most cases, the thefts are carried out by groups who vanish within seconds, leaving travelers not only without their phones but at risk of further digital exploitation. As similar patterns unfold in major cities across Europe, the Americas, and the Caribbean, the warnings now serve as a global reminder: using your phone in public may cost more than you think.
In recent months, police in these cities have tracked a growing number of thefts targeting pedestrians using their smartphones while walking, waiting for public transport, or taking photos in crowded areas. Most incidents happen in seconds. One person distracts the victim, another grabs the phone and disappears—often on a scooter or into a maze of side streets.
With the busy summer travel season approaching, Spain has stepped up its public safety messaging. Signs posted in train stations, metro stops, and airport terminals are now warning travelers to avoid pulling out their phones in public unless absolutely necessary. The message is clear: don’t make yourself a target.
And Spain is not alone. In fact, it’s just the latest in a growing list of countries raising the alarm as mobile phone theft becomes a serious concern in urban areas around the world.
United States
Major U.S. cities have been seeing a similar pattern for years, but the problem has escalated. In New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, local police are reporting a rise in organized phone snatchings carried out in broad daylight. In New York, thieves often wait until a subway train is about to depart, then snatch a phone and escape just as the doors close. In L.A., phones are being taken off outdoor tables or from people scrolling while walking.
Law enforcement agencies have launched public campaigns encouraging people to keep phones out of sight and remain aware of their surroundings. The broader concern isn’t just theft—it’s what happens after. With access to apps, financial accounts, and stored IDs, a stolen phone can unlock someone’s entire digital life.
Mexico
In Mexico City, phone snatching is so common that many commuters have stopped using their devices on public transport altogether. The city’s police force has identified several red zones—places where phone theft is most likely to occur—such as metro platforms, intersections in Centro Histórico, and crowded markets in La Merced.
Authorities now advise both locals and foreign visitors not to use phones while walking and to avoid pulling out devices when navigating unfamiliar areas. Hotels are beginning to include safety reminders at check-in, warning travelers to use their phones discreetly and never while distracted in crowded streets.
Brazil
In São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, phone theft isn’t just opportunistic—it’s highly organized. Groups on motorbikes patrol known tourist spots, scanning for anyone holding a device. Once a person’s distracted—taking a picture, texting, or looking up directions—they strike. The theft takes seconds. In some cases, victims are injured in the process.
Embassies from the U.S., U.K., and other countries have repeatedly warned tourists visiting Brazil not to use phones outside unless necessary. Local residents have also adapted, with many choosing to carry cheaper backup devices for street use, keeping their real phones hidden at all times.
Trinidad and Tobago
While the Caribbean may seem like an unlikely place for high phone theft, Trinidad and Tobago has seen a rise in cases recently, especially in Port of Spain. Local police have reported an increase in incidents where phones are stolen directly from people’s hands while walking or waiting in traffic.
Tourists have been advised not to walk and use their phones at the same time. In some areas, shops and transport centers have posted signs reading: “Stay alert. Don’t flash your phone.” The country’s tourism board has also updated its safety guidance to include tips on avoiding theft while using mobile devices.
Italy
Rome, Florence, and Milan have long had a reputation for pickpocketing, but in recent years, thieves have turned their attention to smartphones. At popular landmarks like the Spanish Steps or Trevi Fountain, tourists lost in their screens are easy targets.
Police have stepped up patrols in high-tourism zones and have been distributing leaflets advising people not to hold their phones in their hands while walking or to leave them on café tables. Many thefts happen when tourists are least expecting it—while taking group photos, waiting in line, or getting directions on a busy sidewalk.
United Kingdom
In London, mobile phone theft has turned into a coordinated, fast-moving operation. Gangs on mopeds or bikes snatch phones from unsuspecting pedestrians and vanish down side streets before anyone can react. Popular neighborhoods like Camden, Islington, and Westminster have been especially hard hit.
The Metropolitan Police have responded with a city-wide awareness campaign, including posters in Tube stations and reminders in taxis. People are being advised to stop using phones near the curb, especially when walking or standing near bike lanes, and to remain aware at all times when navigating unfamiliar neighborhoods.
Germany
In Berlin and Frankfurt, the situation is more subtle, but just as concerning. Many phone thefts occur on public transportation or during large public events, where a moment’s distraction is all it takes. Victims often don’t realize their phone is missing until it’s too late.
To combat the trend, police have been working with transport authorities to install warning signs and issue announcements in multiple languages. Hotels are now advising guests to store phones in interior jacket pockets and to avoid pulling them out on trams or crowded sidewalks.
Spain’s new travel warning fits into a global pattern that can no longer be ignored. Cities across Europe, North America, Latin America, and the Caribbean are all seeing the same shift: phones have become the number one target for street thieves, and public awareness has yet to catch up.
Whether you’re visiting Madrid, walking through London, or commuting in New York, the advice is increasingly the same: don’t let your phone become an easy target. Stay alert. Use your device smartly. And above all, don’t give a thief the chance to strike.
