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Video/ The thief in Barcelona is caught by television cameras while stealing a bag on the beach

Video/ The thief in Barcelona is caught by television cameras while stealing a

Apart from its unique architecture and lively nightlife, Barcelona is also famous for pickpockets.

In the latest spate of crimes against tourists, a bag thief accidentally exposed his 'business' to a TV camera. And was later caught by the police after reviewing the footage.

In May, Barcelona authorities unveiled new plans to tackle summer crime as the number of tourists - and crimes against them - returned to pre-pandemic levels.

How bad is the crime in Barcelona?

The capital of Catalonia is full of pickpockets. In 2018, there were an average of 12 robberies per hour, according to Spain's interior ministry. The steep drop in street robberies in 2021 — down 56 percent compared to 2019 — suggests the influx of tourists was a big contributor.

Now, while the visitors are back, the criminals are back too.

According to police data, from January to the end of May this year, 34,000 thefts were reported in the city, about 225 per day.