Berlin is one of Europe’s most popular destinations – not just for tourists, but increasingly also for pickpockets, police in the German capital have said.
There has been a dramatic increase in petty theft in Berlin, with authorities warning of organised criminal gangs from southeastern Europe targeting pedestrians and tourists in the city.
In 2016, around 50,000 thefts were reported to police in Berlin, an increase on the previous year of more than 25%, and quadruple the number of similar crimes reported in the years 2009-10.
This jump in thefts comes despite a public campaign to raise awareness of the issue, particularly at the city’s Christmas markets and in major railway stations.
A sign reading ‘Give pickpockets no chance’ is seen near parked police cars in front of the main railway station in Cologne.
