In Barcelona, bus robberies fell by 40.7% in the first quarter of 2026 compared with the same period last year, according to the Mossos d’Esquadra, working with the Guardia Urbana and Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB).
The operation, called Plan Kanpai, focused on repeat offenders and organised criminal groups. Police said monthly incidents dropped from an average of 605 to 359 cases.
One group of 35 people was linked to nearly 20% of all crimes on Barcelona’s bus network between September 2025 and April 2026. Police said the group, and four others, specialised in pickpocketing and bank fraud using stolen mobile phones, and often used minors to commit crimes.
Investigators said the groups operated in crowded areas, including Plaça Catalunya and Park Güell, and targeted elderly people, women, tourists, people with reduced mobility, and families with prams. They used peak-hour crowds to steal wallets and mobile phones without drawing attention.
Police also said members of one major group lived in the same housing block, where they stored stolen phones, SIM cards and victims’ bank details. The stolen phones were then used for fraudulent transfers and purchases in shopping centres.
Since late November, Plan Kanpai has investigated 136 people and arrested 85 repeat offenders, who together had 628 prior police records. Five criminal groups specialising in theft and fraud have been dismantled. Police said more than 91% of crimes recorded this year were thefts.
Authorities said the plan combines arrests, restraining orders, police saturation operations and TMB’s surveillance system, which includes more than 4,500 cameras across Barcelona’s bus fleet. For more Catalonia-wide crime and public safety coverage, see News.