Theft and stolen documents

You will find help on preventing pickpocketing and phone theft, keeping luggage and documents safe in your first week, and protecting your belongings at the beach and outdoors. If something has already been taken, there are guides to the first 24 hours after a stolen phone or wallet and to replacing a stolen passport. A last guide explains lost property offices and when to say an item was lost rather than stolen.

Start with "How pickpockets work in Spain and the habits that stop them". It shows you the tricks thieves use and the everyday habits that make you a harder target. Most of the other guides build on it.

Key rules

• Card loss limit: If someone uses your card before you report it, you lose at most 50 euros, and nothing after you notify the bank.
• Police report: You do not need a police report to suspend a SIM or block cards, but operators usually ask for one before blocking the phone's IMEI, and insurers usually require it.
• Tables: Never leave a phone, wallet or bag on a table, chair back or the floor.
• Carry less: Take only what you need for the day and leave your passport in the accommodation safe.
• SIM PIN: Set a SIM PIN, because bank codes often arrive by SMS.
• Bizum: There is no single Bizum hotline, so you switch it off through your own bank.

Theft and stolen documents: the whole process, step by step

• Call your bank's 24-hour line to block cards, the app and Bizum (Your phone or wallet was stolen: the first 24 hours): Straight away, within the first hour if you can

• Ask your mobile operator to suspend the SIM, then lock or erase the phone remotely (Your phone or wallet was stolen: the first 24 hours): Within the first few hours

• Change passwords for email, banking and messaging and turn on two-factor authentication (Your phone or wallet was stolen: the first 24 hours): The same day

• File a denuncia, the police report, and keep a copy for the operator and insurer (Your phone or wallet was stolen: the first 24 hours): Within the first 24 hours

• Tell your insurer about the theft (Your phone or wallet was stolen: the first 24 hours): Within the deadline in your policy

• If your passport was taken, contact your embassy or consulate and arrange a replacement (Your passport was stolen: reporting it and getting a replacement): As soon as you have the denuncia, ideally the same or next day

• Check your accounts for payments you did not make and report them to the bank (Your phone or wallet was stolen: the first 24 hours): Daily for the first weeks; claim within 13 months of the payment

• If the item may be lost rather than stolen, check lost-property offices and report it as lost (Lost property offices, and when to say lost rather than stolen): In the first days; offices keep items from a few weeks to a few months

Documents you may need

• Your passport

• Your residence card — Staying safe with luggage and documents in your first week

• A copy of your denuncia — Your phone or wallet was stolen: the first 24 hours

• Digital copies of your other important documents — Protecting your belongings at the beach and outdoors

Theft and stolen documents: questions that cross several articles

What should I do if my phone is snatched by someone on a motorbike?

Let go of the phone rather than resist, then call 112 or 091 and file a denuncia. Then follow the lock, block and account steps in Your phone or wallet was stolen: the first 24 hours. To lower the risk beforehand, read Protecting your phone from theft before it happens.

How do I avoid fake taxis when I arrive at an airport or station?

Use only the official taxi rank, and check the car has a municipal licence plate and a meter. Do not accept rides from people who approach you inside the terminal. Staying safe with luggage and documents in your first week covers the rest of the arrival risks.

How much should a taxi from the airport to the city centre cost?

From Madrid airport the fare is fixed at 33 euros to anywhere inside the M-30 ring road. In Barcelona there is no fixed fare, and a trip to the centre typically costs roughly 35 to 40 euros. Staying safe with luggage and documents in your first week explains how to spot a licensed taxi.

Can I carry a copy of my passport instead of the original?

A photocopy is not formally equal to the original, so carrying the original is the safe rule. Police often accept a certified copy or a photo, but residents should carry the residence card (TIE). If the original is stolen, read Your passport was stolen: reporting it and getting a replacement.

Can I shut down Bizum if my phone is stolen?

Yes, you can shut down Bizum, but only through your own bank, because there is no single Bizum hotline. Call your bank's 24-hour line to block the app and Bizum, and ask your operator to lock the SIM too, since bank codes arrive by SMS. The full order of steps is in Your phone or wallet was stolen: the first 24 hours.