Equinepro, I don't think it is any worse in Spain than it is anywhere else in Europe...and I dare say it is probably safer than any big city in the US. I would not be as likely to take the subway in New York or Chicago as I would in Madrid, for example. The biggest problem most tourists have is they are disoriented. They are intimidated because they can't function in Spanish as well as they do in their native language, and they don't know their way around. Take the precautions suggested in multiple threads on this site, remember that you are in a very large city with millions of people...a VERY small percentage of which are criminals(petty or otherwise), relax and have fun!