Crime And Police In Portugal

Here you will find a summary of the Portuguese crime situation which will help you to be aware of what to expect when visiting Portugal.

However petty crime is on the rise in Portugal and travelers can become easy prey to pickpockets particularly in the large cities and popular tourist locations at Sintra, Cascais, Marfa, Fatima and the Algarve.

As in any country, you should be cautious when taking out money from ATMs and never leave anything valuable in an unlocked or parked car. Visitors are also advised to carry limited amounts of cash and credit cards and leave extra cash, personal documents and cards in a hotel safe or locked up at home.

Portugal has a compensation programme for some victims of crime, including foreigners and sometimes their dependents, who are unlucky enough to receive serious injuries that stop from working for 30 days or more. This applies to crimes committed on Portuguese territory as well as on board a Portuguese ship or aircraft. Within one year of the incident, claimants must complete an application form provided by the Comissão de Protecção às Vítimas de Crime Violento and have proof the crime occurred, often in the form of a police or medical report.

The Portuguese national emergency telephone number is 112.

You may also be interested in the following:

• Crime And Police In Portugal
• Crime And Police In Bulgaria
• Crime And Police In Cape Verde
• Guide To Property In Portugal
• Guide To Property In Turkey