THE number of complaints of tourists being robbed has risen considerably with the coming of the summer tourist season, according to reports in Bulgarian-language newspapers.
The police directorate in Bourgas is getting at least five complaints daily.
Usually the pickpockets are well-dressed and polite and act in groups. They usually accost unsuspecting foreigners, and while talking to them someone from the group steals the wallet and the mobile phone of the victim.
The pickpockets also operate on public transport, in the streets and in public places such as markets and shops.
An English tourist walking along Hristo Botev Boulevard in Bourgas lost her wallet with 200 leva, 50 pounds, and documents.
A German tourist was robbed in the Duni vacation village, losing a bag with a video camera, a mobile phone and 60 euro.
Another modus operandi of the pickpockets is to pretend to be tourists on the beach.
While the victims are swimming or buying ice cream, for instance, the robbers steal their bags.
A Czech family was robbed while sunbathing on the beach in Primorsko.
Often robbers sneak through open hotel windows and balcony doors and steal while guests are away.
In Varna local pickpockets are being reinforced by their Romanian colleagues who specialise in picking pockets on public transport.
They usually ride on the bus going from Varna to the Zlatni Pyasutsi resort and act in groups.
According to the Varna police, the Romanian pickpockets often assault the victim if he or she catches them in the act.
The police advise victims to avoid confrontation and try to memorise perpetrators' faces in order to give their description later.
In order to prevent the rising tide of robberies and pickpocketing, police in the Black Sea resorts are being reinforced by police from other parts of the country.
They patrol the streets and also pose as tourists on the beaches.
The authorities in the Slunchev Bryag resort have organised bicycle patrols.
A total of 24 police officers were recruited for the patrol. Three pairs of police on bicycles will patrol the streets of the resort.
The money for the bike squad was collected by hotel owners and the management of the resort.
The police directorate in Bourgas is getting at least five complaints daily.
Usually the pickpockets are well-dressed and polite and act in groups. They usually accost unsuspecting foreigners, and while talking to them someone from the group steals the wallet and the mobile phone of the victim.
The pickpockets also operate on public transport, in the streets and in public places such as markets and shops.
An English tourist walking along Hristo Botev Boulevard in Bourgas lost her wallet with 200 leva, 50 pounds, and documents.
A German tourist was robbed in the Duni vacation village, losing a bag with a video camera, a mobile phone and 60 euro.
Another modus operandi of the pickpockets is to pretend to be tourists on the beach.
While the victims are swimming or buying ice cream, for instance, the robbers steal their bags.
A Czech family was robbed while sunbathing on the beach in Primorsko.
Often robbers sneak through open hotel windows and balcony doors and steal while guests are away.
In Varna local pickpockets are being reinforced by their Romanian colleagues who specialise in picking pockets on public transport.
They usually ride on the bus going from Varna to the Zlatni Pyasutsi resort and act in groups.
According to the Varna police, the Romanian pickpockets often assault the victim if he or she catches them in the act.
The police advise victims to avoid confrontation and try to memorise perpetrators' faces in order to give their description later.
In order to prevent the rising tide of robberies and pickpocketing, police in the Black Sea resorts are being reinforced by police from other parts of the country.
They patrol the streets and also pose as tourists on the beaches.
The authorities in the Slunchev Bryag resort have organised bicycle patrols.
A total of 24 police officers were recruited for the patrol. Three pairs of police on bicycles will patrol the streets of the resort.
The money for the bike squad was collected by hotel owners and the management of the resort.
