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10 free things to do in Barcelona, Spain {Gadling}
Feb 6th 2012 4:21PM Given the outrageous number of thefts, pickpocketings, and bag snatches in Barcelona, every article encouraging a visit to this wonderful city should include warnings about the rate of thievery there. I adore Barcelona, but "6,000 thefts per day on Barcelona visitors" must be taken seriously. The thieves' methods are many and devious. Go, but stash your stuff safely, and be hyper-aware! Read more here: http://bobarno.com/thiefhunters/2009/11/barcelona-pickpocket-problem/
Snorkeling in the Galapagos {Gadling}
Aug 12th 2011 5:14PM Sea lions poop, too. We thought our 16-year-old was seasick after snorkeling and back on our small yacht. When she didn't get better, we thought it might be a flu. Turns out it was e. coli poisoning, from swimming with the sea lions! Story and photos: http://bobarno.com/thiefhunters/2008/03/guilty-as-charged/
Dubai's iconic Burj Al Arab - the world's most glamorous hotel {Gadling}
Jun 21st 2011 2:03PM Burj al Arab (Tower of the Arabs) was to be Dubai's icon, and a sketch of the structure was put on car license plates before the building was even finished. On a visit to Dubai, our host told us that the building’s British architect phoned from the air as he left the country after completing it, to say that he’d just planted the largest crucifix in the Arab world. When viewed from the sea, the hotel’s top-floor cantilevered restaurant forms the crosspiece. Fury erupted, and the building’s icon was removed from car license plate designs.
—Thiefhunter in Paradise
5 things to do in Barcelona, Spain: from Sagrada Familia to Barceloneta Beach {Gadling}
Feb 22nd 2011 3:20PM Crime levels in Barcelona are high, but La Rambla is not particularly dangerous at night—in fact, it's packed with crowds at night and loads of fun. Most muggings take place in the streets OFF La Rambla, but muggings and other thefts take place on and off the main drag. Best advice is to stow your stuff safely, carry little, and keep your wits about you. Then get out there and stroll La Rambla at night. Much more here:
http://bobarno.com/thiefhunters/2009/11/barcelona-pickpocket-problem/
American Airlines ticket agent accused of half million dollar credit card fraud {Gadling}
Feb 17th 2011 12:29PM "Prosecutors say they do not know how she made copies of the cards…"
Credit card fraudsters don't have to make "actual" copies of credit cards from stolen data (but that's easy, too). There are endless ways credit card data can be turned into illicit gains. And endless ways to capture that data, too. The AA agent probably used a "skimmer" like the tiny one pictured here http://bobarno.com/thiefhunters/2009/06/new-skimmers/
Now, skimmers are being dumped for "shimmers;" http://bobarno.com/thiefhunters/2010/09/credit-card-shimming/
and the innovations continue…
Panama City: Casco Viejo rising {Gadling}
Jan 6th 2011 4:34PM Beautiful, it is. But there's quite a bit of crime in Casco Viejo (hence the local tourist police office). It's the center of gang activity, with frequent altercations between rivals, including gunfights. I interviewed Casco Viejo gangsters and wrote about them (with photos) here: http://bobarno.com/thiefhunters/2008/08/panama-gangsters-part-1/
Photo of the Day (11.29.10) {Gadling}
Nov 30th 2010 7:17PM Yeah, I've taken two pantsless shots. One of a super-relaxed man just hangin' in Honolulu, http://bobarno.com/thiefhunters/2008/03/honolulu-hong-kong/
and the other, a couple of men who forgot to dress at all: http://bobarno.com/thiefhunters/theft-thwarter-tips/pocketology-101/ at the bottom of the page.
Conserve passport space by skipping the US entry stamp {Gadling}
Nov 10th 2010 10:40AM I've been trying to skip US passport stamps for years. It's amazing how many US immigration officers don't know the rules, or decide to push their authority and insist on stamping. One recently said "it's my personal procedure to stamp all passports." I had to call a supervisor to educate him. I travel a LOT. I'd say about 30% of the US immigration officers I encounter are unaware of the option to skip the stamp.
http://thiefhunters.com
Hotels, restaurants and consumers: what to look for on review websites {Gadling}
Oct 29th 2010 3:08PM The issue is also about allegations of criminality, where accusations linger online, tarnishing an establishment's reputation without proof. As one who studies theft from travelers, I can say that often, a hotel is just the easiest to blame. Not always, of course. Examples here: http://bobarno.com/thiefhunters/2010/10/publicly-accusing-hotels-theft/
Oktoberfest: Lots of food and more than 8 million gallons of beer {Gadling}
Oct 7th 2010 7:36PM Oktoberfest is a blast, for sure, with everybody happy, in traditional costume, and slugging back beer. I was there in Munich last year. Emergency crews with stretchers run around as fast as they can collecting the passed out and fallen-down drunks. People are peeing and barfing against every tree and the gutters flow with it. For these reasons, pickpockets also love Oktoberfest. Read how and why at "Pickpocket heaven at Oktoberfest" here: http://bobarno.com/thiefhunters/2009/10/oktoberfest-pickpockets/
