Pickpockets at Þingvellir
A highly trained band of pickpocketw were caught in the act last weekend at Þingvellir national park.
Last weekend, an attempt was made to pickpocket a visitor enjoying the views at the viewpoint at Hakið, above Almannagjá. The victim was though able to fend off the attack by shouting and resisisting. The pickpockets managed to escape, but a tour guide in the area reported the incident to the park rangers at the visitor centre, who immediately alerted the police.
Two days later, the same band made another attempt to harass the park´s visitors in Almannagjá and Hakið. Plain clothed police were on site at the time and national park staff were on alert. The pickpockets noticed the extra surveillance and fled the scene empty-handed in a rental car but were later stopped by the police not far from Þingvellir.
Closer investigation has revealed that the band arrived at Þingvellir at the same time every morning for five consecutive days and then after raiding Þingvellir they headed further east on the Golden Circle to Geysir and Gullfoss to pillage from tourists.
It is good to have some caution on things.
The group consists of both women and men, were highly trained and are very organized. Two to three people stand guard, check if there is any surveillance in the area and then signal the others. Two to three people choose their victims. The theft is done from backpacks or bags of visitors by walking close to them or by distracting them. More often this is done by the asking the victim to assist in photoshoots in the crowd. While the picture is taken, another thief steals from the victim.
This is the third incident in three years where such activity has been reported in Þingvellir National Park. In recent years, pickpocketing has happened more often in popular tourist destinations in Iceland as happens elsewhere in similar places abroad. Þingvellir National Park encourages guides to regularly inform their groups about such risks and all guests to be vigilant against pickpocketing.