Just back from another trip from the fantastic city of Madrid, just seems to get better and better

Bit of a tale for travellers going to Atocha.

we were in La Barrilla sitting at the bar when in walked three of the dodgiest geezers around, I clocked them straight away and watched as they surveyed all the customers then preceded to walk over to the bandit and start to play it, a fourth bloke then turned up with the worst teeth in the history of teeth and also came over to the area of the bandit, he was pretending to be really interested in watching the other three play on it but I knew what he was up to, the girl behind the counter asked if they were having anything but they declined, one of the gang a stocky south american actually sat next to my wife very closely but soon moved when I stood up and paid the bill.
All in all we didn't feel threatened but they were definately up to no good.

TIP
If your going on the AVE, go through the security check and visit the cafe/bar there its much safer


Also when we returned to the city there were a gang of "petition for handicapped" girls hanging about near Debod, after waving them away I did my good deed for the day and walked back down to warn a young couple who were being surrounded by gold teeth and her gang

Don't want to put anyone off visiting this great place but just be aware of whats going on around you

Salud

Thanks for the warning, buleterrier!!

I, too, have been approached by some good-English-speaking, well-dressed young gypsy girls asking for donations for the handicapped and to sign a petition to help them. This was just outside the Real Madrid - Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. (Mr. Steve Robinson, don't tell anyone I daftly gave them a donation. D'OH! I just did it myself!)

Good advice, too, about going through security to the AVE section to have a coffee/snack on that side. You certainly can't be too careful. I've never had that experience in Madrid, but someone did try lifting my laptop inside the Alicante Bus Station restroom while I was at the urinals. This was 4 years ago.

The common area in Madrid Atocha train station is amazing, too!! They have literally hundreds and hundreds of turtles in their swamp-land! Great photo opportunities there.

Saludos, MadridMan

wow I keep reading these events in many forums so I must be lucky, never a problem ::)

8 years in Madrid and I've seen this stuff happen regularly . Plaza de Chueca is a hotspot for crime and I've often had to advise tourists to put the handles of their bags underneath the leg of the seat they're sitting on . That way the thief would have to move the person as well and would probably give up and run . However , I was in Plaza de Chueca a few weeks ago ... I know the square well and many of it's dodgy characters so am always on the look out ... I also know the bar staff well . I momentarily put my pocket camera on the table when José (barman ) came running up and told me to look towards the entrance of the metro . About 5 young people ( teens ) all Romanian gypsies .. Buzzing around the square . Being a regular visitor to Russia I know these guys can rob you and you probably won't even realise until you're back in you home or hotel . They are very clever . And yet it's a shame as I did some teaching in a municipal school in Vallecas . One particular student was Romanian ( about 10 years old ) ... He was the brightest kid in the class , very sensitive , very friendly ... And his mother was a lovely lady . Many of the gypsies have given Romania and undeserved bad reputation .
One day in Chueca I sat there and infront of me on a stone bench was a pretty drunk guy .... The police turned up .. and turned out his pockets ... a number of bullets fell on the ground !! Always fights in that square ... but I love it . One waiter told me that every day was a piece of theatre in Plaza de Chueca .

I'm with you, pedmar. I've never been "picked" - or threatened to be - even one time in my 7-years living here or on several previous visits.

I think the issue stems from the relative petty-crime safety of the home countries of many visitors. At least in the USA - IN GENERAL - where mobile phones and purses sit on tables and chairs at restaurants, indoors and out, and nothing EVER happens to them. There, yes, we have much much MUCH more violent crime than these petty crimes of mobile-phone-liftings. If I had to choose, I'd choose being the victim of a petty-crime any day of the year.

Saludos, MadridMan

correct. And if you see how the tourist behave then you wonder why they are not picked, heck even I like that Ipad sitting on the table....lol!!!
I see here too. But I have been to much worse areas like the favelas in Rio and Lagos Nigeria for example,and never a problem either. I listen and do what security people tells me.

I lived in another era in Spain much more in need, whre a ham and cheese sandwich was heavens, and patatas bravas a luxury in working class Quintana, and never a problem either.