Lisbon police crack down on pickpockets amid tourist surge
In 2024, the police in Lisbon detained over 100 pickpockets, marking a significant increase compared to 2023. Authorities explain that members of professional gangs can earn more than 3,000 euros daily on average.
In the Portuguese capital, a special unit of police officers is dedicated to catching pickpockets by posing as ordinary tourists, reports PAP. Last year, officers caught 149 individuals in the act.
In January, police managed to apprehend Lisbon's longest-serving pickpocket. The 62-year-old man, known for years by the alias "King of Trams", had specialised for several decades in thefts on the tourist-filled Lisbon trams numbered 28, 12, and 15.
Sub-commissioner of the Portuguese police, Sergio Soares, explains that some organised criminal groups are so-called "travelling gangs" that move from one European city to another. They primarily consist of Romanian citizens. According to Soares' assessment, a pickpocket's daily "earnings" in Lisbon can exceed 3,000 euros.
Lisbon a target for tourists
Lisbon's "popularity" with pickpockets stems from the large number of tourists who visit each year. In 2024, Portugal welcomed 30 million visitors, with revenue from tourism reaching 27 billion euros.
"We expect to set another record this year for the number of tourists visiting Portugal. Initial estimates suggest it could be as many as 33 million," said Jorge Costa, president of the Institute of Planning and Development of Tourism, at the beginning of the year.
