Stay safe. Polizei Berlin

Welcome to our information page! Here, you’ll find helpful hints and practical tips on how to protect yourself against various criminal offences.

• Pickpocketing and theft by trick
• Hotel and luggage theft
• Shell game fraud
• Donation fraud
• Fake police officers
• Violent offences
• Sexual harassment
• Knockout drugs (a.k.a. “roofies“ or “date rape drugs”)
• Hate crime
• What do I do when others are in danger or I hear calls for help?
• What do I report to the police emergency hotline (110)?
• Victim support services

Pickpocketing and theft by trick

Pickpocketing is a common form of street crime in many popular tourist destinations. Thieves are often skilled at stealing purses, cell phones and other valuables from bags or rucksacks without being noticed.
Pickpockets often apply tactics to distract and steal from their victims. Be suspicious of strangers who suddenly approach you or try to distract you.

Here’s how you can protect yourself:

• Take only the essentials in cash and valuables.
• Carry your valuables as close to your body as possible. Inner jacket pockets, front trouser pockets, as well as neck pouches or hip bags are well suited.
• Handbags and shoulder bags should always be carried with the zipper side or the closing flap towards your body.
• Always keep your handbags and rucksacks closed. Never leave them unattended.
• Don’t leave your wallet in your jacket when hanging it over a chair in a restaurant.
• Don’t place your mobile phone and wallet on the table.
• Always carry your backpack on your front in crowded places.
• Don’t display arge sums of cash. Stay alert while and after withdrawing cash.

In the event of damage:

In any case, file a complaint with a police station. In Berlin, you can do this around the clock at any police station or online via the Online Police Station which is also available in English.

In case you lose your credit or debit card, have it blocked by calling the central card cancellation emergency number: [phone]. Report the theft locally, to the German police. They are able to block your Girocard for electronic direct debit transactions. As a precaution, note down your credit cards’ corresponding numbers and keep them separately, outside your wallet. The credit card companies will ask for these numbers.

• Flyer Pickpocketing

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Hotel and Luggage Theft

To protect yourself against hotel and luggage theft, follow these tips:

• Always keep an eye on your luggage when traveling.
• Keep valuables on your person.
• Remember that a “uniform” does not make a real porter.
• After arriving at your accommodation, put your means of payment, as well as your papers and valuables (e.g. jewelry) in the safe, or hand them to the hotel administration for safekeeping.
• Never leave your valuables (e.g. watch or camera) in plain sight in your room.

Shell Game

The so-called “shell game“ is not a lottery, but a form of fraud carried out by a group of perpetrators. They are always the winners of the game!

By placing three boxes with a small ball on a carpet, perpetrators try to lure passersby into the game which turns into an act of fraud. In terms of numbers, their largest group of victims are tourists.

• Achtung Betrug - Attention Swindlers

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Donation fraud

Donation scams are usually carried out by perpetrators in pairs or large, loosely organized groups. Once a suitable victim has been spotted, the perpetrators approach the tourist alone or in pairs, presenting their donation collection list, and – by gesturing – demanding donations and a signature. They are not collecting for charitable purposes though. The scam is used to defraud victims or distract them in order to nimbly steal cash from open wallets or commit other forms of pickpocketing.

• If possible, avoid these groups of people.
• Firmly keep walking, do not stop.
• Do not get involved in a conversation – not even by gesturing.
• Do not sign the donation list. Do not give any money!

• Flyer Donation fraud

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Fake police officers

Confidence tricksters often seek places where a lot of tourists gather. Pretending to be police officers, they search their victims for alleged possession of drugs or counterfeit money, while stealing cash and credit cards unnoticed.

Ask police officers in uniform and criminal police officers in plain clothing for their identity cards. If in doubt, call the police emergency number 110!

• Badges and ID Cards of the Berlin Police

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• Fake police officers

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Violent Offences

Do you occasionally feel unsafe in public spaces? Fear is natural and our instinct is usually right. Even though our fear in public spaces is often unfounded, it’s good to be prepared for difficult situations that may arise:

• Stay alert.
• Stay clear of danger.
• Do not to react to provocation.
• Walk away.
• Draw attention to your situation. Use your voice and shout.
• Ask for help. Directly approach bystanders.
• If you are in danger, always call the police emergency number 110.

If somebody threatens you and demands your valuables, you should cooperate. – Especially if you’re being threatened with a weapon. Weapons are always a threat to life.

• How to Deal with Violent or Aggressive Behaviour in Public

  PDF-Document (2.6 MB)

Sexual harassment

Non-consensual sexualized touching of a person is a criminal offence and includes exploiting a moment of startling the victim. If you find yourself in a situation in which you are being sexually harassed, numerous factors play a role to avert danger. There is no blue-print to deal with emergencies.

The following tips have proven helpful in such situations though:

• Stay alert!
• Keep your distance!
• Get out of the situation!
• Ask others to help you!
• Alert the police!

• How to deal with sexual harassment or sexual assault in public spaces

  PDF-Document (376.3 kB)

Knockout drugs (a.k.a. „roofies“ or “date rape drugs”)

Knockout drugs (a.k.a. “roofies” or “date rape drugs”) are substances that render a person unconscious, helpless or incapacitated. Criminals will use these substances to render their victims unconscious and defenceless during sexual offences or theft. Especially at parties, in clubs or bars, a perpetrator may secretly add these drops to their victim’s drinks. If you or someone else consumes a drink that causes an inexplicable reaction (i.e. abnormal motoric or mental symptoms; a blackout) and leaves a sudden feeling of dizziness or nausea, it’s important to quickly seek medical attention. Knockout drugs are detectable in blood or urine for only a brief time.

It’s also important to file a complaint with the police, since administering knockout drugs can constitute various criminal offences.

Protect yourself from knockout drugs or other substances:

• Order drinks from waiting staff and accept them in person.
• Be cautious when strangers offer you drinks (especially mixers).
• Don’t leave drinks unattended.
• If you suddenly feel dizzy or nauseous, immediately seek help. Contact someone you trust or the staff. Have someone you trust take you home or to a safe place.

Hate crime

Hate crime refers to politically motivated criminal offences that take the circumstances under which the offence was committed and/or the perpetrator’s motives into account; specifically those that reflect the perpetrator’s prejudice towards skin colour, nationality, origin, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, social status and physical appearance or impairment.”

If you find yourself in an emergency situation or someone needs help immediately, call the police emergency number 110. Any incident can be reported at any time via the Online Police Station. Charges can be filed in person around the clock at any police station.

• Infoflyer Stop-Hate englisch

  PDF-Document (1.0 MB)

What can I do if others are in danger or I hear calls for help?

• Help others, but avoid bringing yourself in danger!
• Always call the police emergency hotline 110 first!
• Join forces with other people around and help as a group!
• Shout out that the police are on their way in order to interrupt the perpetrator’s criminal actions and make the perpetrator run away. Do so with others.
• Offer your assistance to the person who is affected or seeking help!
• Memorize the sequence of events and the perpetrator’s features!
• Stay at the scene of the offence until the police arrive. Offer your help as a witness. // Testify as a witness.

What’s important during an emergency call to the police (110)?

• WHAT happened? Incident, injured, unusual dangers
• WHERE did the incident take place? Location of emergency
• Try to be brief and to the point in your formulation.
• Try to answer our questions calmly.
• Wait for the police to arrive after reporting the incident.

Non-urgent matters can be reported at any time via the Online Police Station of the Berlin Police.

Victim support services

If you have experienced a crime, you do not have to cope with this experience alone. Here you will find a lot of useful information about what you can do and what different support options are available. Alternatively, Opferhilfe Berlin e.V. offers a portal for victims of criminal offences at hilfe-in-berlin.de.