Malta is a very popular place to visit for tourists and is a jumping off point for those visiting Africa, Italy, Spain or other nearby countries. Malta is a country of about 400,000 - roughly the size of a small to medium city in the U.S. Because it is a location favored by tourists, pickpockets have been known to operate in this country - as in any other location where tourists visit.
Several reports have come to light where Eastern Europeans are believed to be among the main contributors to a surge in pickpocketing statistics which were registered in Malta last year (2010). A total of 502 pickpocketing crimes were reported in 2010, up from 450 the previous year, official police statistics show. Law enforcement officials in Malta believe that a good number of these crimes are the result of Romanian and Bulgarian pickpocket gangs who specifically target tourists who visit Malta's shopping and entertainment hot spots.
Due to this increased pickpocket activity in Malta, police are deploying surveillance cameras will be installed in the city of Valletta - where pickpocket activity is high on the tourists streets of Zachary, Merchants, St John and St Lucy, according to a police superintendent from the Valletta police station. One Malta police source said it was believed that Eastern Europeans were using Malta as a training ground for pickpocketing, sending their proceeds abroad, before moving on to bigger European cities.
Other areas that tourists areas where pickpockets have been reported include St. Julians, St. Pauls Bay, and Sliema - However, Valletta seems to have the largest amount of reported pickpocket activity. Many say that the island of Gozo has some of the lowest crime rates in the area. Opportunistic crimes such as car break-ins occur more frequently in the summer months in the main tourist areas. Criminals, however, don’t appear on the whole to reside in the areas where the crimes are committed. The most common place of residence of offenders in order is Bormla, Valletta, Qormi and Gzira.
Figures obtained by The Sunday Times for 2010 show that the number of reported pickpocketing crimes soared during the summer months, especially in tourist areas like Valletta and St Julian’s. “There is a pattern evidently pointing towards Eastern Europeans, who often operate in groups of two or three,” Supt Mamo said. On the other hand, Maltese thieves often operate on their own steam, and are more scattered in the villages.
Last November, two Bulgarian women were charged with stealing €2,680 from seven people in Malta and Gozo over a span of four days in mid-August. It was a period when pickpocketing reports had reached a peak, with 30 being made at the Valletta police station in one week alone.
With almost military precision, the thieves have been known to use well-rehearsed tactics to perfect their trade. In the past, police have encountered pickpockets of Roma gypsy origins whose thumb had been fractured in a particular way from a young age to enable them to easily slip their hand into the victim’s pocket. More information regarding pickpockets in Malta can be found here.
Thefts at Malta's Beach's
Like any beach location in the world which is known to be visited by travelers, Malta is not immune from thefts which occur at the beach. Malta, like other counties see reports of thefts at Mata's beaches double during the summer months - However, reports of beach theft in July of 2010 doubled over July last year, confirming that gone are the days when you could set your mind at rest while enjoying a dip in the sea. Police figures show that the number of reports received rose to 178 from 89 and 40 in the past two years respectively.
The majority, 53, took place in St Julian’s, followed by 40 in Sliema, and 17 in Mellieħa and St Paul’s Bay. However, sources said the actual figures were likely to be higher since some bathers opted not to report theft. This was either because their belongings were of insignificant value or they were skeptical about them being returned.
Reasons for the thefts also varied, as has emerged from the arraignments where suspects admitted to stealing cash, electronics and miscellaneous accessories. Some victims have reported that when they were in the water, thieves will steal your entire beach bag - many containing contained car keys, credit cards, sunglasses, clothes, sun block and a beach towels.
For travelers looking to obtain travel bags and purses which feature built-in anti theft features which can help keep your valuables safe from pickpockets, sneak thieves, or criminals who specifically target beach bags left alone on the beach, consider one of the many travel security bags featured at www.CorporateTravelSafety.com. This website features a variety of anti-theft travel bags that were made just for this purpose.
Our site contains over 100 pages of travel safety tips and security tips that are useful for any traveler. You will find tips involving luggage theft, avoiding pickpockets, laptop theft, hotel burglary, and airplane, train, automobile, and boat travel crimes.
