Syd Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 There has been considerable speculation regarding Fake Spanish Police stopping vehicles on the motorways and robbing the occupants. This week there ios an article in the Euro Weekly on the subject which gives an interesting website where more advice/information can be found it is a long address http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/europe/spain You could do worse than haveing a look here also http://www.euroweeklynews.com/news/costa-blanca-north/car-jack-warning-from-the-police.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 Worth knowing Syd, so fair enough for linking to it; but in fairness, as I understand it was a few incidents involving one gang, who've now been caught, and of course they had nothing to do with "fake Police" at all: "The ploy is as follows. The intended target or victim is singled out when their vehicle is parked. The criminals then place some paper on the rear window in such a way that it only becomes visible to the driver when they return and are seated in the car. The driver is chosen when they are unaccompanied and when the car is parked in such a way that when they return to their car they do not pass the rear window and therefore only notice the obstruction to their view when they glance in the rear mirror. The normal reaction is that the driver gets out of the car to remove the sticker etc and when they are at the back of their vehicle the robbers strike. Invariably the keys are left in the car by the driver. The robbers jump into the car and make off, knocking over the owner of the car if necessary to make their getaway. " Might I also mention that whilst the FCO travel advice for Spain quoted in your other link is good common sense; the FCO rate Spain as a significantly less "risky" place to travel to/through than, for example, Italy. Or Greece. Or Poland. Etc. We're not perfect here by any means, but I wouldn't want people to conclude that Spain is dangerous country. There are of course some risks in certain areas of any country, so probably best, as I think Syd was suggesting, to exercise common sense wherever you are travelling in Europe/beyond. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanblanc Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 I think "to exercise common sense wherever you are travelling in Europe/beyond" should include the UK. 4x4, expensive cars, caravans and motorhomes have been the target of "vehicle jacking" for the past 30 years on the M25, M2, M20 areas of the south east. These vehicles are then driven out of the country at Dover before any reports can be filed. This information is 1st hand from Dover CID. I would rather be charged for not stopping for a plain "police" car than stop and wished I hadn't.... regardless of which country I was travelling in. We have just returned from Morocco, Portugal, Spain & France and am pleased to report we were met in each country with a welcome smile. We did meet a Swiss couple on the France/Spain border in an aire and they told us that last year they were robbed by a couple who were also staying on the aire in a motorhome. Nasty people do not carry swag bags or look dodgy, they are more likely to blend in. My tip would be always to meet, greet & speak to your neighbours where ever you park and "weigh them up". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesFrance Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 Three times we have been an intended robbery victim whilst passing Barcelona on the autopista. The golden rule is to stop for nobody anywhere near a city and pretend to be phoning. They usually clear off then smartish. Only last month a German friend from where we have our boat had a tyre stabbed by a youth on a scooter when in a hire car leaving Barcelona and they lost their passports credit cards and money. The fake police is one of the well known scams and unfortunately there always seems to be a copycat gang when one lot are apprehended. This used to be blamed on immigrants from South America, then North Africans and now Eastern Europeans. It's not only in Spain of course, the Catalan Village on the French autoroute near the border is notorious and we know several people who were robbed during the night there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 vanblanc - 2011-04-03 3:46 PM I think "to exercise common sense wherever you are travelling in Europe/beyond" should include the UK. 4x4, expensive cars, caravans and motorhomes have been the target of "vehicle jacking" for the past 30 years on the M25, M2, M20 areas of the south east. These vehicles are then driven out of the country at Dover before any reports can be filed. This information is 1st hand from Dover CID. I would rather be charged for not stopping for a plain "police" car than stop and wished I hadn't.... regardless of which country I was travelling in. We have just returned from Morocco, Portugal, Spain & France and am pleased to report we were met in each country with a welcome smile. We did meet a Swiss couple on the France/Spain border in an aire and they told us that last year they were robbed by a couple who were also staying on the aire in a motorhome. Nasty people do not carry swag bags or look dodgy, they are more likely to blend in. My tip would be always to meet, greet & speak to your neighbours where ever you park and "weigh them up". Indeed - that was exactly my meaning, as the UK is in Europe. Really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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