Are we unlucky

[Aimeej]

Dear Helpful Ones

I have finally decided to buy in Competa after many many visits, the last one being a week before this Christmas.

However my sister is getting concerned about the level of crime in the general area. When we came in October we had our hand luggage stolen from our hire car (at Torrox Coata) and on returning from Malaga Airport on 18th December my Sister had her luggage broken into and many items including her Ipod stolen (now I know what the shrink wrap machines are for at the airport!!).

Are we just unlucky! or should we be concerned about the apparent increase in levels of crime??

Neither myself or sister consider ourselves to be naive.

I would appreciate any views from those who actually live in Spain
Many Thanks

Aimeej

[katy]

I think you are just unlucky, feel much safer here than the UK and some other European countries. Having said that we were walking the dogs in the campo yesterday when we found some jewellery (about 12 items). It was apparent by the inscription on some of the items that they were German and too unusual to have been taken from a handbag. The police in Marbella were quite disinterested when we handed it in.

[Julie]

Hi

Sorry to hear you have been robbed. I think that if you are living in a area were a lot of foreigners live, you become a much easier target, unfortunately there are a lot of immigrants in Spain with no jobs and no money, and nothing to loose, i have read recently that the crime rate has risen drastically, but that is also happening in the UK, the difference being that, if you were attacked or robbed in the UK, you would probably cope with it better, unless you are comfortable with the language here.
Key word is vigilance.
Good luck for the future

[Aimeej]

Thanks Katy

Thats what bugs me - the disinteredness (is there such a word!!) of the Police who don't seem to be in the slightest bit bothered!!

I know its stupid but the bars on all the windows of the houses must be for that reason - at least we dont have to have bars on the windows of houses in the UK!!!!

I must admit I am starting to get a bit worried myself!!

Aimeej

[katy]

The bars on the windows are just because they tend to be open more here and the houses are bigger, they are just a safeguard. Its not perfect here but I think it is still safer than the UK.

[Shukran]

Crime is increasing the world over, not just in Spain. We had to go to the police station last week to enquire about my husband's lost, very expensive, mobile phone and the police grinned and told us to forget about it - nobody would ever hand it in - he didn't even want to take our names. I wouldn't like to say that Spain is any better or worse than the UK, but it's certainly improved in our village since the Rumanians moved out a few weeks ago - heaven help us all now that Rumania is part of Europe!

[mickhick]

Aimeej - having spent 30 years in the UK police I know where I would rather be and that's Spain! We get the occassional crime up here in the campo but you get that everywhere including the UK. If they had better weather in the UK they would live with their windows open and would have bars as well!

[spanish hopes]

The bars were originally intended to keep the daighters IN. Now of course they are a cross between security grills and may I say aesthetic. They look right in the Spanish environment and fit in with the older style properties which had them fitted for their original purpose.
Go down to your local shopping precinct in the UK and look at the shops which are all closed off with steel shutters, the pavements in front of the shops lined with steel bollards to try to foil the ram raiders.
I agree with the comment re Romanian thieves but must point out that Romanians as a rule are good honest people, the thieves are Romanian Gypsies and are hated as much in their own country as anywhere else they have polluted.

[Aimeej]

Thanks everyone!!

I'm sure we are just being over cautious!!!

Moving to Spain is a dream of mine which I am trying to fulfil - learning the language to start with. My research is nearly three years old now and I am ready to take the plunge but this crime lark is niggling at me!!

I just need to get it into perspective I suppose!!!!

[Lavanda]

I feel much safer in Spain than I do in London but the only place I've ever been mugged was ... Spain. To be honest, in London I'm very careful about looking after myself and my bags. I don't take 'risks'. In Spain I have tended to be totally relaxed about such things. I got mugged because I was doing something in Spain that I would never in a million years have done in London. I don't think there's more crime in Spain. There are just easier targets but, after my experience, I'm no longer one of them.

[kevin77]

Even so, Gisela, it would be worrying if it happened to you in a small town like Coin. Would you be prepared to tell us some more details?
A few of our members have been turned over in Madrid and Barcelona, but they seem to accept it as being typical of any big city in Europe.

[pete_l]

Hi

Sorry to hear you have been robbed. .....
i have read recently that the crime rate has risen drastically, but that is also happening in the UK

This is a common misconception. If you look at the UK government crime
statistics here you will see that property crime (including thefts from cars),
which is what we're talking about here, is the lowest for 25 years.

Pete

[spanish hopes]

If you look at the UK government crime
statistics

Who believes anything that the Government ever says? Statistics can be manipulated and the bunch of arrogant liers running our country are amongst the most manipulative people on this earth.

[Grouser]

Don't think so Mr. Hopes, they're just your standard, run of the mill politicians.

[pete_l]

Who believes anything that the Government ever says? Statistics can be manipulated and the bunch of arrogant liers running our country are amongst the most manipulative people on this earth.

In that case read the British Crime Survey results. These are carried
out independently of the police. Oh,hang on. That was the data I
referred to.

Like it or not, property crime in the UK is around half the rate it was
in the nineties.

[toddcl]

Property crime is down in Domestic property in the UK.

This is purely down to the penalties / Law. If get get caught twice breaking and entering in Domestic property, then you go down for 18 months. But you can rob sheds, steal cars etc and only get probation or tagging.

The law is also more lenient on breaking and entering of commercial property.

The prisons are full to busting and if government can stop house breaking then the public thinks 'things are getting better'. No they are not.

[spanish_lad]

Even so, Gisela, it would be worrying if it happened to you in a small town like Coin. Would you be prepared to tell us some more details?
A few of our members have been turned over in Madrid and Barcelona, but they seem to accept it as being typical of any big city in Europe.

kevin. read my thread "peugot 206 stolen" this happened new years eve in broad daylight on the border of alhaurin el grande and coin.

also several properties on Alhaurin Golf have recently been targetted.

crime happens ALOT more than you hear about. just because it is not reported, it doesn't mean the crime rate is dropping.

i've been there this morning welding up their rejas.

[Faire d'Income]

Property crime is down in Domestic property in the UK.

This is purely down to the penalties / Law. If get get caught twice breaking and entering in Domestic property, then you go down for 18 months. But you can rob sheds, steal cars etc and only get probation or tagging.

The law is also more lenient on breaking and entering of commercial property.

The prisons are full to busting and if government can stop house breaking then the public thinks 'things are getting better'. No they are not.

Todd, I think burglary is reducing in the UK as a result of items being so much cheaper than they were ten years ago (relatively speaking) and as such it is far harder to 'fence' items because most people have them.

Not stalking you tonight, by the way.

[Lavanda]

In response to you, Kevin 77:
Even so, Gisela, it would be worrying if it happened to you in a small town like Coin. Would you be prepared to tell us some more details?

I was mugged strolling along the promenade in Sanlucar de Barrameda in July 2005. Two boys on a motor bike. Usual story. I didn't give details because I've already posted about it in response to a much earlier thread re: crime.

As far as Coin is concerned, in my little bit of it around Plaza Alameda, Plaza San Andres and the old town on that side I don't have any problems at all as everyone knows me and I know everyone. I've been there five years now and even leave my back door open all year round - whether I'm there or not - as it doesn't shut properly anyway - I MUST get it fixed one day. Neighbours are always around the plaza and strangers would soon be noticed. It's a close-knit little community and I'm lucky to be included.

[price]

My wife and I were sitting having a meal in Antequera when her handbag was stolen. I gave chase but fortunately didn't catch the thief. I wouldn't have known what to do if I had! The bag contained cash, mobile phone and passports so naturally we were rather upset. However from that point on I can only say how impressed we were with everyone we dealt with. The restaurant owner was so upset he refused to accept payment for our meal.
The police took the matter very seriously and seemed genuinely upset at our loss. We had to look at various mug shots of known thieves.

The bag ( minus cash and phone but with passports)was in fact handed in to the police by a local shop owner who discovered the bag in the shop doorway.

I don't think we would have received the same level of service back in the UK but I could be wrong.