Violent Crime and Theft Rates Fall
A total of 74,350 crimes were recorded in Barcelona between January and June 2026, a drop of 11.2% compared to the same period in 2025, according to data from the Barcelona City Council.
Thefts declined sharply by 21.1%, while reoffending rates fell by 15.9% under the Kanpai Plan, a joint initiative targeting repeat offenders. Knife-related incidents dropped by 20.9%, and violent robberies decreased by 9.4%.
Reports of sexual aggression fell by 9.4%, and crimes linked to gender violence were down by 5.3%. The City Police carried out 340 specialised support actions for victims of gender violence during the period.
Police Activity and Prevention Measures
The decline follows intensified operations by the Mossos d'Esquadra and the City Police, including greater public space policing and expansion of the municipal video surveillance network.
The City Police handled over 51,000 administrative incidents and processed 72 cases through the new Office Affiliated of the Prosecution Service in the first half of 2026.
The consolidation of operations by the Mossos d'Esquadra and the City Police, the fight against reoffending and support provided for victims are key factors in the drop in criminal activity in the city.
Challenges Remain on Hate Crimes and Homicides
Despite the overall improvement, the Local Security Board highlighted ongoing concerns. Hate crimes rose by 64.3% compared to the same period last year.
Nine consummated killings were recorded in the first six months of 2026, up from five in 2025, with three linked to organised crime. Five of the nine homicide investigations resulted in arrests of the presumed perpetrators.
Public Perception of Safety Improves
The Barcelona Victims Survey 2026 supports the trend, showing 23.2% of residents reported being victims of crime in 2025, down from 28.6% the previous year. The study also indicates a growing sense of safety in both the city and individual neighbourhoods.
Primary sources: barcelona.cat, ajuntament.barcelona.cat, Barcelona City Council, Ajuntament de Barcelona, Ayuntamiento de Barcelona, dsp.interior.gencat.cat. Reported by diaricatalunya.cat, EFE, totbarcelona.cat, elpais.com, laciutat.cat, institutmetropoli.cat.
