One European Country's Safe Reputation Has Been Eclipsed By An Unforeseen Travel Advisory

Iceland attracts tourists in droves thanks to its otherworldly outdoor adventures, from natural hot springs to huge waterfalls on its famous Ring Road. Another attractive thing about Iceland is its low crime rate among both local communities and tourist hotspots. Unfortunately and rather surprisingly, this otherwise peaceful country has seen a recent uptick in pickpocketing incidents.

Crowded places in major European cities are where tourists are most likely to encounter pickpockets, but some of Iceland's natural wonders have seen enough pickpockets to warrant a travel advisory from the Icelandic Tourism Agency as of March 2025. One of these natural wonders is the Strokkur geysur. "When Strokkur erupts, maybe 300-500 people stand around it, and when everyone is looking at it, the thieves pile into the group and go into backpacks, waist bags and other things," conservation ranger Dagur Jónsson explained to Mbl.is. Strokkur erupts even more frequently than Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park, which means these thieves have easily settled into a routine. A small group will work together to take money from distracted tourists and make quick getaways.

Another place dealing with well-organized groups of pickpockets is Thingvellir National Park (Þingvellir), a beautiful swath of protected land featuring the often-photographed Öxarárfoss waterfall. Police officers have noticed these criminals arriving and departing from the park around the same time each day. The officers hope that with more reports, surveillance, and photos, they will be able to track the thieves down. While the wide-open spaces of Iceland's nature helps thieves avoid the strong law enforcement presence of major cities, be aware of more pickpockets in Reykjavik too.

Iceland is still among the safest countries for travelers, but its increasing popularity means more crowds. The bigger the crowd, the easier it is for pickpockets to carry out their schemes. If you want to really avoid the negative effects of crowds and the potential threat of "overtourism," perhaps check out Greenland. While some groups in Europe are actively discouraging tourists from overrunning their cities, Greenland is doing the opposite. Its capital, Nuuk, has a brand-new airport that receives international flights for visitors looking to catch glimpses of arctic wildlife and incredible glaciers.