There are so many warnings and horror stories out there about street crime in Barcelona that it can be a bit distracting and cause needless worry. I do not profess to be an expert on Spain (I have only been there twice) but I have traveled abroad and domestically alot. My experience in Barcelona convinced me that these warnings may be a trifle overblown. Reasonable levels of caution and common sense seem to work. It is really not too hard to spot the "thief teams" on Las Ramblas. They sort of have a uniform (baggy sweat suits) If you appear alert and aware, it seems to help. If you live in a good sized American city, you live with far more risk each day, than you will encounter in Barcelona. US city crime stats are appalling compared to any Spanish city! Handguns are not common in Spain and some of the "cracked out" thieves on Las Ramblas would fall over if a strong wind blew on them! Anyway, my point is that you can go to Barcelona and have a great time and not stress about crooks. Simple precautions seem to work i.e. moneybelt, holding on to your luggage etc. Do watch out for the Gitana in front of the Sagrada Familia church, I must admit that she is pretty slick and her breath is like pepper spray. There is no need to stress about the street crime. Just be cautious and enjoy!