Dead end
Theft in Madrid was a dead end—take it from someone who studied there for a semester. When reporting a theft, travelers faced hour-long waits, language barriers, and unclear next steps—most don't bother. How might we create a seamless, stress-free experience for visitors and temporary residents—one that prioritizes prevention, builds confidence, and simplifies theft reporting so they can focus on their journey?
To understand how, we conducted 12 in-depth interviews with tourists and exchange students who were victims of theft.
Seconds Matter
A pattern quickly became clear: Users don’t know what to do in the critical moments right after a theft, underscoring the need for clear online and on-site first-step instructions. As Kate shared: “I didn’t know the steps I should take or how long I had before it would be too late.”
A better way
Meet Safer Journeys—a digital-first platform that works hand in hand with authorities to make theft prevention and reporting seamless
Device Pre-Registration: Store essential details in advance for faster reporting.
Real-Time Risk Notifications: Stay informed with location-based theft alerts.
Seamless Digital Reporting: Step-by-step guidance to replace long police wait times.
Case Tracking: Multilingual updates so users always know what’s happening next.
Beyond reporting
By designing a flexible, city-integrated platform, we laid the foundation for a model that could adapt to different cities, authorities, and traveler needs. With the right partnerships, this approach could redefine how theft prevention and reporting work worldwide—making safer journeys the standard, not the exception.
