Real incidents and figures, country by country, with their official source.
AI-generated illustration — not a photograph of the reported events.
🇪🇸 Spain
Barcelona: 128 arrests after looting, according to the 25 October report
According to El País, unrest in Barcelona on Saturday 24 October 2026 led to 128 arrests, including 72 minors, in the report published on 25 October. The newspaper reports 23 shops vandalised or looted and 33 fires. Its account says mobilisation began on TikTok before moving to WhatsApp and Telegram groups, where instructions for looting reportedly circulated. The Mossos d’Esquadra are investigating the organisers. A 26 October article links the ‘Blocus’ label to French student protests, without establishing direct causation for the violence. Update: El País reported 130 arrests, including 76 minors, on 26 October. These are the newspaper’s reported figures, not independently verified findings.
AI-generated illustration — not a photograph of the reported events.
🇫🇷 France
Saint-Étienne: after looting, a gun shop runs out of tear-gas sprays
In an article published on 21 October 2026, Le Progrès describes shopkeepers’ anxiety following violence and looting in Saint-Étienne on Saturday 17 October. According to the newspaper, the Guarneri gun shop near Place Anatole-France had sold out of tear-gas sprays by mid-morning on Tuesday 20 October. A salesperson describes that day’s customers as very nervous shopkeepers. The report reflects local concern and increased demand for defensive equipment at this shop; it is not a national statistic. These accounts are attributed to the newspaper and have not been independently confirmed here. This report is not a recommendation to carry weapons; a GPS tracker does not prevent riots or assaults.
AI-generated illustration — not a photograph of the reported events.
🇮🇪 Ireland
Ireland: 2,790 bikes reported stolen in Dublin in 2025
In a parliamentary answer on 26 February 2026, the Justice Minister said 2,790 bicycles were reported stolen in the Dublin region in 2025, with 315 charges, summons, cautions or youth referrals. The CSO victimisation survey (published 14/09/2026) reports that 12% of Dublin bicycle users experienced theft or attempted theft of their bike in the past year, versus 5% nationally. Many thefts go unreported.
AI-generated illustration — not a photograph of the reported events.
🇵🇱 Poland
Poland: 4,751 cars deregistered after theft in 2025, Warsaw leads
According to the IBRM Samar institute, 4,751 passenger cars and vans (up to 6 t) were deregistered in Poland after theft in 2025, 10.8% fewer than in 2024. The Masovian region records the most cases, with Warsaw alone accounting for 24.1% of the country's thefts according to Interia. Toyota remains the most stolen brand (Corolla, RAV4, C-HR). Deregistration data differs from police figures, which count vehicles as soon as they are reported missing.
AI-generated illustration — not a photograph of the reported events.
🇪🇺 Europe
Baggage: 33.4 million bags mishandled worldwide in 2024
The SITA Baggage IT Insights 2025 report counts 33.4 million mishandled bags in 2024, or 6.3 per 1,000 passengers, even as the rate fell. Delays account for 74% of cases and around 8% of affected bags were lost or stolen. Transfers are the leading cause (41%). 66% of cases were resolved within 48 hours. The cost to the industry is estimated at $5 billion. Global figures, not limited to Europe.
According to Interior Ministry figures analysed by LoJack, Italy recorded more than 136,000 vehicle thefts in 2024 (+3%). Campania, Lazio and Sicily are the worst hit, and a large share of vehicles is never recovered.
The BKA police crime statistics (PKS) record hundreds of thousands of bike thefts every year, with e-bikes a prime target. The clearance rate stays very low: without a tracker, getting your bike back is down to luck.
Spain: tens of thousands of vehicles stolen every year
The Interior Ministry's 2024 Crime Report records tens of thousands of vehicle thefts per year, alongside burglaries, mainly in big cities such as Madrid and Barcelona. Total crime is stable (–0.3%), but cybercrime is rising sharply.
France: 815,000 bike thefts and attempts in one year
According to the SSMSI security survey, there were 815,000 bike thefts and attempted thefts in 2022, up from 765,000 in 2021. Only 16% of victims file a police report: most bikes are never found.
