Hunting for tourists: Majorca plagued by a surge in pickpocketing

With the start of the summer season in Majorca—one of Spain’s most popular resort destinations—the long-standing issue of street theft has flared up once again. Viral videos are racking up views online, clearly showing pickpockets ruthlessly robbing holidaymakers.

According to the local outlet Majorca Daily Bulletin, the majority of incidents have been recorded in Palma, the island's capital.

In one of the published videos, a gang of young men surrounds an elderly man. While his attention is completely diverted by his surroundings, one of the thieves deftly slips valuables straight out of his pocket—leaving the man completely unaware. In another clip, two young men brazenly lift a wallet from the bag of an elderly woman walking near Palma's famous Cathedral.

Majorca, alongside Ibiza and Menorca, is one of Spain's crown jewels in the Mediterranean. However, in recent years, the Balearic Islands have been suffocating under the weight of "overtourism." According to Fox News Digital, Majorca welcomed a record-breaking 13.5 million visitors in 2025. For an island spanning just about 3.6 thousand square kilometers, this is a colossal and difficult-to-manage figure.

Angel Castellanos, a California-based travel expert and host of The Tour Guy YouTube channel, notes that the sharp spike in pickpocketing across Europe is directly linked to post-pandemic international tourism not just recovering, but surpassing previous benchmarks.

Who Is at Risk and How to Stay Safe?

According to the expert, thieves do not target elderly travelers because of their age.

"Criminals look for anyone who appears distracted, is carrying a lot of shopping bags, looks disoriented, or simply cannot react quickly," Castellanos explains. "The same applies to tourists in nightlife areas whose situational awareness is dulled by alcohol."

Castellanos, who has traveled to over 100 countries, has never fallen victim to pickpockets. His main secret is constant situational awareness.

Simple safety rules from the expert:

• In crowded tourist hotspots, stay just as alert as you would in a high-crime neighborhood of a major metropolis.

• Use specialized anti-theft cross-body bags or secure valuables in zippered internal pockets.

• Never leave mobile phones or wallets on tables at outdoor cafés.

"Sensational headlines in the media shouldn't scare people or make them cancel their trips to Majorca," the expert concludes. "It is a stunning destination for a summer vacation. The takeaway here is different: you just need to travel smart."