According to the French Interior Ministry, the number of crimes committed in the Alpes-Maritimes increased by 28 percent from 2021 to 2022.
Small organised groups have been targeting tourists and visitors to such an extent that plain-clothes police numbers have been increased in the Nice metropolitan area in order to try to catch the culprits in the act.
The tramway line that serves Nice Airport is a favoured haunt of pickpockets. According to local reports a number of tourists leaving from the airport have arrived without their passports as well as other belongings. The railway station and overcrowded trains provide further opportunities for pickpockets.
In August, a suitcase containing jewellery valued at 300,000 euros was stolen from passengers arriving on the daily Emirates flight from Dubai. A police investigation into the circumstances of the theft continues.
