British tourists headed for the popular tourist region of Costa del Sol in southern Spain have been warned by national police to be wary if you are warned of bird droppings on your clothes.
Police have detected the return of an old “bird poo” trick used by expert pickpockets.
The warning comes after an adept thief was arrested this week after allegedly stealing valuable items from at least eight holidaymakers.
The 56-year-old travelled along the Andalusian coastal region, including Benalmadena, to target foreign visitors.
Wearing a variety of bucket hats or berets, the thief would carry biscuits in his fanny pack which he would chew up into a mush before throwing the vile mixture at his victims.
He would then rush to their side, telling them that a bird had just defecated on them and pretend to help clean it off. Police said he then took advantage of the confusion to skillfully steal valuable items, mostly credit cards.
Victims only realised they had been robbed long after the suspect had disappeared.
After multiple reports to the police, the man was eventually found in Benalmadena. He had a selection of hats and clothes in his car, meaning he could change his look at any given time
The man has been banned from entering Malaga ahead of a trial.
Earlier this year, Brits were urged to keep “all” their belongings in Spain on them following a separate spate of pickpocketing incidents.
Speaking in her post on TikTok Jess cried: “My passport, my two cards, everything is gone. How the hell am I going to get home? I’ve just had to ring the police and now I’ve got to walk 1.4 miles to the station.
“Someone’s tried using my card but I’ve phoned both of them. I’m just putting it out there. Just keep your stuff on you and not around you. Anything can happen anywhere.
Another user reached out to say: “Unfortunately it’s well known in Spain for this happening, you need a cross-body bag and it is always closed.”
Another commenter said, “On holiday I never take my card out with me and only take enough cash to do me for what I’m going out for.”
Pickpockets are one of the biggest crime risks in Barcelona, with pickpocketing accounting for 48.1 percent of crimes committed in the Catalonian capital in 2023, according to local authorities.
Last year, data compiled by Quotezone.co.uk also found that Spain was one of the worst destinations for tourist scams, along with France.
A local couple shared advice on their Tik Tok page, recommending tourists to “Dress Like You Belong. Leave the college t-shirts, baseball caps, and shorts for the home turf. Embrace the local fashion and blend in. The less you look like a tourist, the less you look like a target!”
