Safety in Belgium

Yeah, I wonder about this too.When I read on travel blogs, sites I keep coming across the pick-pocketing and mugging issues in Brussels.

I just want to know from ladies if they feel okay wearing jewellery?

I live in Hasselt and I have never had any problems here, however, I do read in the newspaper from time to time about theft in the city center.  When I go to the city center I pay close attention to what's going on around me and my purse. 

I had an unfortunate situation that happened to me in Genk near the area of Bokrijk while riding my bike.  I won't go into details about what happened, but I am glad I was able to escape.   

No place is 100% safe and you need to be aware of your surroundings at all times when out and about.  I do feel safe in Hasselt during daytime hours for sure.

I feel totally uncomfortable in Belgium, the people are so rude and insular. I have just spent a couple of weeks in Germany and it is a completely different atmosphere. Belgium is a complete mess of left wing government without the tenacity to fight the ever growing problems. I strongly advise to avoid Belgium like the plague.

I've lived in Denmark and comparing both countries is inevitable. Unfortunately, Belgium is much worst than Denmark in several aspects. The Security is one of them.

I often see people stealing in the supermarkets.
I've seen once someone breaking a window from a car parked in front of my apartment in a afternoon.
My neighbor's apartment had been stolen once.

There was this crazy story that happened to an old lady while she was hospitalized for some weeks. Her daughter went to her mother's house to get her letters and found out that someone had changed the lock and had moved in! The crazy thing is that they called the police and the police couldn't do anything until they have an order from the judge to expel the squatters. Can you imagine you go on vacations and when you come back someone is living in your house and you have to wait for days (yes, the justice here is very slow) until you can finally get in?

Besides that, people here have the weirdo habit to scratch others' cars.....

You have to be careful on the trains with your stuff. I've know someone who had their laptop and bag stolen. They sometimes work in pairs and use distraction by for instance dropping coins on the floor, so everyone looks down, and the other person takes a bag from the overhead rack. They normally work between two short stops for instance between midi-central, or central-nord, or luxembourg-schuman. I occasionally see people who look like they're stealing - they first of all look out of place to the usual commuting crowd or tourists, they walk up and down the train looking up at the rack or down between seats instead of doing what 'normal' travellers do which is look for a seat to sit on, and they will suddenly jump off at the next stop. Ofcourse, you can never be sure if these guilty-looking individuals are actually doing anything bad or not - they might be perfectly innocent! Take care people! Keep your baggage on your lap or well within sight.

Belgium is not safe at all between living in the French region or the flamish region is much worse The people see evry forigen person as someone who is coming to profit from them and if you are working it start to be more you cant inter any resturant and not to fined people coming and start asking quistions from where you are living till how much you earn i'm here for 8 years and i had enough i'm eveing concedring moving to another country far away from them and they force you to learn Dutch but they call it flemish my idvice if you are planning to start a new life NOT IN BELGIUM

Belgium is not the country for you for many reasons special Brussels & Antwerp west region east region as well

I agree, Belgium looks and feels half finished, Antwerp is one of the most disgusting cities I have ever been to. Racism is rife here too, I am not an  advocate of this country one bit, we are only here due to a posting, once the postings is finished good bye Belgique forever.

I could talk about Brussels as I live here but not for Belgium as whole.
Have been living in Brussels for many years now and never had any problems. It is good though to have your eyes open and be careful of pickpockets especially in the metro.

Like with everywhere, there are less safe areas too in Brussels. Overall, I consider Brussels safe compared to bigger cities such as London, Paris and Berlin.

Last but not least, some self-defence classes won't do any harm;-)

I read all the posts and I am really surprised.
About Brussels, like all the capitals cities , you have to keep an eye around you all the time. It depends on, of course, the time and the neighbourhood
But comparing with Greece, it's much better!

Last I checked, we elected a center-right government in Belgium. Crime has little to do with left or right and a lot to to with poverty.

It's sad that so many of you are unhappy in Belgium. Maybe it's time to move. :-)

you are right.
really strange
they haven't been in the center of Athens that's why....

I was brought up in and around London, I visit New York, Paris and Köln regularly all of which feel more relaxed and friendlier than Brussels. Additionally, thieves target ex pat communities in Brussels. As for Athens or Greece generally, I'm not surprised the poverty line and financial status has a knock on effect in the safety of tourists or expats.

Hello Christine,

Set the security level is really not an easy thing. So here are my answers to your questions:
- How would you define the level of security in the country? --> Suitable with variations between cities and villages in the countryside.
- Can we go out alone, day and night, without fear of having problems? --> Your question is a bit biased because do you pose it as a woman or as a person. Again, there is the problem of big cities with some "neighborhoods" and countryside. I have never been bored from one side to the other. Now I'm will not guarantee than a woman ballad in some areas would not risk more than a man.
- Do you think the crime rate is high, that there are major social problems, tensions within the population? --> Statistically if thou bases on European surveys, we are relatively well ranked (http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics ... Tistics / en). The major problems are the same everywhere unemployment, economic crisis ... The tensions within the population are mainly generated by the media that constantly target certain populations ...
- Share with us your vision of security in Belgium and in the city where you live. -> I feel good when I saw that I travel a lot. By cons, my family permanently resides there and never had any problems. In my village, I happened often and continues to leave my car open again ...
The situation is not perfect. And it's the same in every country.

To nataliaps --> I am living since november 2014 in Denmark. And I can assure you that Police (POLITI in danish) has also a lot of work to do...

To DarthMalkirn --> Can you tell us a bit about criminality level in London or Aberdeen or ... http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/crime-sta … index.html

Alas, Phipiemar I can only speak from experience, and again alas I have never been to Aberdeen so am unable to comment. But, I have experience in London, NYC, Paris etc to be honest the people there are friendlier and more approachable than the Belgian folk. I'm not quoting statistics as we all know can be manipulated to various points of view. I can say though my wife has had a racial names called to her,  the 'N' word has been hurled at her, this has never happened in and around the aforementioned places. Again I reiterate, once the posting is complete goodbye Belgique.

Hello DarthMalkim,
No problem, everyone's good or bad experiences. You've had bad in Belgium. I have had bad in London, Houston, in Copenhagen, and in other places. While I have never had in Belgium. And yet I lived on Brussels, Antwerp and Liege. So my best wishes for your new life in other lands.

I've traveled a lot and  no place is utopia and no place is 100% safe unfortunately.  It is terrible when you have had a rotten experience in another country though.

My first post ever and it has to be on this important subject. I have been to the UK, to France, i have been to Paris about 20 times, walked through the not very nice St Denis near Paris, i love Liege and all of Wallonia, i saw Brussels day and night, by metro and walking (at night). I never felt insecure - but i do feel bad here in Germany, even in my small town. Nearly every house around us has been broken into, we have an alarm system, camera and pepper-spray in the house. Hamburg feels unsafe nearly everywhere, so does Berlin.
Now, whats the point? Please do not overvalue Germany - it is not like you think it should be or as the media tries to tell you. We do have the same problems like the rest of europe. I never felt unsafe in Belgium, people have always been kind and helpful. Lovely little country and my number one expat location :-)

Hello everyone,

Just to inform you that some off topic comments have been removed from this thread.

I invite other members to share their experience on the subject.

Thank you.
Christine