A gang of pickpockets is targeting tourists at popular travel destinations in South Iceland, reports mbl.is. Police suspect a group of about ten foreign individuals and believe it is part of an organised criminal operation.
Dagur Jónsson, a park ranger at the Environment Agency of Iceland, says the group “disguises themselves” as tourists and carefully chooses the right moment to strike. He explains that victims are often surrounded by thieves while they are admiring natural landmarks.
“When Strokkur erupts, there might be 300-500 people gathered around it. While everyone is watching, the thieves slip into the crowd and rummage through backpacks, waist bags, and other belongings. Then, others take possession of the stolen goods, so the person who actually steals gets rid of the items within a minute or two,” says Dagur.
According to him, the thieves mainly target euros, dollars, pounds, and Icelandic króna, which they use to purchase goods locally. However, they tend to leave behind credit cards and currencies from Asian countries.
“People who fall victim to this are absolutely furious, as it is a major invasion of privacy,” Dagur adds.
He says the pickpocket gangs have been regularly showing up in February, March, and July in recent years. He urges all tour guides to report any incidents involving their groups to help track the scale of the thefts.
The gang hasn’t only been operating at Gullfoss and Geysir; the same issue has been reported at Þingvellir as well.
According to a post published on Þingvellir’s official Facebook page, “Closer examination has revealed that the group has visited Þingvellir at the same time each morning for five consecutive days before heading east to Geysir and Gullfoss to steal from tourists. The group consists of both men and women, is highly trained, and follows a well-organised strategy. Two or three members keep watch, checking for any surveillance in the area and signalling the others when the coast is clear. Another two or three select their victims. They steal from guests’ backpacks or bags by standing close to them or distracting them — often by offering to take their photo. While the victim is focused on posing for a picture, another thief picks their pockets.”
Thieves photographed
Garðar Már Garðarsson, chief superintendent of the South Iceland Police, says authorities are aware of the issue and are working to address it. “We are looking to increase surveillance. We have received numerous reports, and this appears to be a gang specializing in these crimes,” Garðar says.
According to him, the police have images of several individuals who have been reported in connection with the thefts.
“This is a highly organised operation and clearly part of a structured criminal enterprise. We suspect that around 10 people are actively involved in these thefts,” Garðar concludes.
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