Harry Redknapp who is manager of one of England´s premier clubs ( Tottenham Hotspur ) was mugged by 6 men outside the Vincente calderón stadium in Madrid .... They got all his money and credit cards . He was there to watch the Atlético de Madrid-Real Madrid Derby . JUst shows how careful you have to be !

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Redknapp-Mugged-Spurs-Manager-Harry-Redknapp-Is-Robbed-Before-A-Football-Match-In-Madrid/Article/201101315904364?lpos=UK_News_Right_Promo_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_15904364_Redknapp_Mugged%3A_Spurs_Manager_Harry_Redknapp_Is_Robbed_Before_A_Football_Match_In_Madrid

Just read the the article. Seems he was pick-pocketed and not mugged, although the article calls it a mugging. Seems 2 of them were kneeling in front of him, tugging on his pants/trousers while the others, without his realization, were going through his pockets. It wasn't until they had gone had he realized his wallet was gone.

The article doesn't say if he left the stadium with the thousands of others or if he left later after the stadium grounds outside were mostly clear. I'd have to guess the latter. But this is not at all a dangerous area. Just the opposite, in fact. But, I'm sure the pick-pocketeers were open to any prey.

Saludos, MadridMan

yes careful and street smart always. Never heard of mugging there but pickpockets yes.

But surely on a big game like that there should have been plenty of police around ? I agree the term mugging is somewhat extreme as he was not physically hurt although I think the word can be used if you´re attacked and robbed . My brother was "mugged " in Moscow .. a couple of guys threw him to the ground and stole his wallet ... that was classed by the Russian judiciary as a "mugging" .

He was probably cheering for the Real Madrid ho ho ho ::)

A "mugging" is typically considered a robbery with force. This guy didn't know they were taking his wallet until after the "Hey, I'm just doing a good deed by straightening your wrinkled pants" event.

If we started a thread about pickpocket victims here on the message board - and if all those victims participated - we'd likely have the longest message board thread to date - in a single day!

Thankfully, after 5 years of living here - and several years beforehand of walking the streets of Madrid - I've never been a victim of pickpocketing nor have witnessed it. But I do know people who've realized later that their wallets (in their purses) were missing. I also know one particular elderly woman who has had her purse "lifted" on like 5 occasions in the past 5 years. Seems she has the habit of putting her purse down on the floor when she pays her supermarket/shopping bills at the cash register. She's always so upset with herself and the world. Her children, now totally full-grown don't know what to do. Since we can't change the behavior/habits of others, we can only hope those people will learn from their experiences and change their own behavior/habits.

In the case of the English soccer/football trainer in this thread, I can only guess he had his fat wallet in the rear, unbuttoned back pocket of his baggy pants. If that's true, he can only blame himself. This isn't Normal-town USA/England where pickpockets are scarce. I remember one time in Columbus, Ohio word spread quickly through the downtown area offices that someone had just had their pocket-picked somewhere in the downtown area while they walked to lunch. As I said, word spread fast because these things just don't happen there.

Saludos, MadridMan

I just posted a blog entry, "Brit Harry Cap "Mugged" in Madrid", on this very topic using part of what I wrote immediately above.

Saludos, MadridMan

Pickpockets are common in the UK especially in the big cities . I remember being with a friend in a bar in London´s financial district . We'd just left work for lunch . A couple came in , impeccably dressed and sat by us at the bar . The woman went to the bathroom , came back and they left without ordering a drink . The bar staff were immediately suspicious and shouted out to everybody to check their belongings . My friend's wallet had been stolen from his suit jacket pocket . We went out and ran everywhere to find them while the bar called the police to alert them . The wallet was never recovered .
And bear in mind that I´ve had my wallet stolen twice here in Madrid , and i´m a seasoned City boy ! The first time was stupidity on my part as I´d absent mindedly put the wallet in my back pocket , though it was covered by a jacket . The second time the wallet was in the front pocket of my jeans . You just don´t feel a thing . These guys are very deft .

When Evan and I were leaving Vicente Calderon after the Atletico-Valencia game last April, it was literally shoulder to shoulder for quite a ways. I can understand how someone could easily be pick-pocketed in that crowd. I had my purse across my body and was clinging tightly. I thought to myself that if there were some kind of stampede or emergency, a lot of people could be injured because of the crowd there.

Well that´s normal of any sporting event , whether it be here in Europe or in The States . If I go to watch rugby in England ( 75,000 people ) or even the tennis at Wimbledon or rock concerts ... Queen with 250,000 people for example . I´m always careful but I´ve never had a problem .
Having said that , I got a letter a few days ago from my ex-neighbour . My house looked over a park and every June they hold a huge classical concert by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra . You take your picnic there and enjoy the music . 2 years ago a guy was murdered right infront of the house I used to own . It was some stupid idiot , on drugs ,who was trying to steal one of the deckchairs of another person , he stabbed the innocent guy . He´s in prison now .
Those big occasions can lead to abnormal behaviour .