Jump to content

Robbed in Spain


Bulletguy

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 441
  • Created
  • Last Reply

I wonder if having some stickers/pictures of a large alsation on the windows would deter them?

 

We have a couple of dogs and outside the van they are okay, sometimes wary of certain people, but otherwise content, however put them in the 'van and it's a different story! If anyone comes anywhere near to it, whether we're in it or not, all hell breaks loose ... there's no way I'd even consider trying to break in with them in it!!! Lily wasn't named after Lily Savage for nothings!!! :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When we had our passports stolen in Spain we obtained emergency passports from British Consulate at a cost of £200 to ourselves. I knew that if I just came home I would be able to get into the country at a British port but I did not know if I should be able to get from the dock road in Santander onto the ferry as you have to show your passport before boarding. The same probably doesn't apply at Calais because there are British Immigration Staff there. I just wondered how poor old BG got on in that respect. Anyone got any ideas?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Arthur Brown - 2011-12-18 4:10 PM

 

Hi

The emergency number above - is that it complete or do we have to put the country code when using UK mobile phones?

Art

 

 

It's complete as a Spanish non-area-specific number, thus if you are ringing from any Spanish phone ( mobile or landline), just dial the 902 etc....

 

 

But if calling from a UK mobile, unless your Network providers system is uber-clever about you roaming abroad, you usually need to put the Spanish country code in first: "+34" , just as if calling or texting any other Spanish number from your UK phone.

Indeed, putting the +34 in front of the number in your UK mobile is always a good idea, as even if your network providers roaming software recognises that you are calling a Spanish number from Spain, the fact that there is the +34 in front of the rest of the number doesn't affect your call connection anyway.

 

 

I've heard of this national number/service previously, but have no idea if it works at all in practice, or how useful it may or may not be.

 

In any case, It's probably a good idea to put into your UK mobile phone memory if visiting Spain, along with the phone numbers of the UK Embassy in Madrid, and the UK Consulate offices in any of the regions that you are going to/through.

(And of course you do all keep a hard copy of all your important mobile phone numbers elsewhere in your MH, in case your mobile gets nicked/lost whilst on tour, don't you...........)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Geoff Tuckley - 2011-12-18 5:44 PM

 

When we had our passports stolen in Spain we obtained emergency passports from British Consulate at a cost of £200 to ourselves. I knew that if I just came home I would be able to get into the country at a British port but I did not know if I should be able to get from the dock road in Santander onto the ferry as you have to show your passport before boarding. The same probably doesn't apply at Calais because there are British Immigration Staff there. I just wondered how poor old BG got on in that respect. Anyone got any ideas?

 

I can tell you.

 

My return was booked from Dunkerque for January end so I presented myself there at Immigration. They were very helpful though more form filling required to explain how the Passport had been stolen, where, when, and also the Police case number.

 

I was then told by the Ferry operator (DFDS) to go to any parking lane but when the Ferry arrived they wouldn't let me board as I had no boarding pass. I was told to go to their main building where an extremely rude French girl began spouting off about the extra charge required for change of departure. I explained what had happened and that by now I had NO MONEY..........and also added that if she wanted money off me then maybe she should ask her fellow French countrymen who had robbed me. With that she slammed a boarding pass on the counter and told me to get out!

 

I could have understood better had the Ferry been ram packed with customers........but it wasn't even a quarter full!

 

I was at the Port four hours before I got a Ferry. They made me miss the first one despite being there a full two hours before it sailed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

B.G. only a message to say how sad it must be for you your Xmas holiday is destroyed and you have had a dreadfull experience all the rest is the usual 20.20. vision hindsight. I wish you a merry christmas and a better new year than you've experienced at the moment. John ;-)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

B.G, I really feel for you and your loss though I am prepared to bet it's a thousand times worse than I think.

Best of luck and better fortune in the future.

 

 

This whole topic and the language thing makes me think I might plasticise a couple of basic pre-worded 'prompt cards' in a couple of languages and leave them behind the sun visor. One French and one Spanish or whatever. At least valuable time may be saved in getting the basic message over to the police that we have been robbed locally, the time it took poor B.G the offenders could have leisurely strolled to wherever they chose.

Just a thought--now about the wording???

 

cheers

derek

Link to comment
Share on other sites

derek pringle - 2011-12-20 9:31 AM

 

B.G, I really feel for you and your loss though I am prepared to bet it's a thousand times worse than I think.

Best of luck and better fortune in the future.

 

 

This whole topic and the language thing makes me think I might plasticise a couple of basic pre-worded 'prompt cards' in a couple of languages and leave them behind the sun visor. One French and one Spanish or whatever. At least valuable time may be saved in getting the basic message over to the police that we have been robbed locally, the time it took poor B.G the offenders could have leisurely strolled to wherever they chose.

Just a thought--now about the wording???

 

cheers

derek

 

 

 

 

The verb for "rob" is robar in Spanish.

 

The past perfect tense is: I have been robbed.............in Spansh: " Me han robado".

 

You might want to add that you need help, are English and don't speak Spanish, so: "Puedes ayudarme por favor. Me han robado, pero soy Ingles, y no hablo espanol."

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

B'G..I'm only going to be echoing what others have said already ..but sorry to hear that you had such a sh*t experience ... :-(

 

...but,I suppose you can take some real positives from it..the major one being you weren't injured!..and,they didn't nick your van..

 

I would be looking at altering the locking system on the van(..as you say the central locking opens all of the doors),maybe just fit some simple additional locks? ..and I'd certainly get in the habit of hiding/spreading any funds and documents etc,around the van...

 

Being equipped with a selection of "prompt cards" also seems like a very good idea,along with a number of one of the "telephone translation" services..and judging by your posts, it seems as if your "treatment" when reporting the theft,caused you as much distress as the actual event itself...so anything that helps bridge the communication barrier,can only be a good thing..

 

Anyway...it's done now mate, onwards and upwards..

 

Have yourself a Good Christmas... ;-)

 

Chris

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Tracker

How about a card in large letters that says something like -

 

 

I will only stop at the next service area.

 

I have telephoned the Police to confirm.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

pepe63 - 2011-12-20 11:51 AM

 

Going off topic here..but I just wondered,do these eReaders(kindles etc)have sd or usb ports,that would "read" a card/stick?

 

..if they did,I just thought you could have loads of phrases and documents etc at your finger tips...?

 

 

 

My Kindle does not have either of those facilities but I can access the internet for free as I have the 3G plus Wifi model.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

pepe63 - 2011-12-20 12:20 PM

 

Oh!..I see...I just thought that if they could be used for reading a card/stick,that would've been handy,as it seems as if quite a few people have Kindles already...:$

 

 

AIUI you can load your own (e.g. PDF) filoes onto a Kindle (which has a massive amount of storage anyway).

 

So, a bit of preparation at home, and no need for the card/stick.

 

;-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Robinhood - 2011-12-20 12:28 PM

 

pepe63 - 2011-12-20 12:20 PM

 

Oh!..I see...I just thought that if they could be used for reading a card/stick,that would've been handy,as it seems as if quite a few people have Kindles already...:$

 

 

AIUI you can load your own (e.g. PDF) filoes onto a Kindle (which has a massive amount of storage anyway).

 

So, a bit of preparation at home, and no need for the card/stick.

 

;-)

 

 

But if you've got in on a card - no need for a Kindle.

 

If you already have a Kindle, one card should say " someone has stolen my Kindle, so I am unable to let you know what happened, in your language"

 

 

;-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

pepe63 - 2011-12-20 12:51 PM

 

Not that I've got one anyway...but I don't think I'd like the idea of loading too much stuff onto a Kindle because as you say,it could get lifted... :-S

 

..having said that,if all your "stuff" is on a card,is "plod" going to be all that keen on letting you plug it into "their" system..?

 

 

You must be one of the younger fellas on here pepe.

 

To me, a card is a piece of cardboard, ( e.g. a postcard ) and couldn't be plugged in to anything !

 

:-D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

malc d - 2011-12-20 1:07 PM

 

....You must be one of the younger fellas on here pepe.

 

To me, a card is a piece of cardboard, ( e.g. a postcard ) and couldn't be plugged in to anything !

 

:-D

 

Well,thank you kindly Sir!... (lol)

(..but unfortunately,I'm still not young enough to grasp what a lot of the bl**dy gadgets are supposed to actually achieve in the first place... (lol) )

Link to comment
Share on other sites

malc d - 2011-12-20 12:40 PM

 

Robinhood - 2011-12-20 12:28 PM

 

pepe63 - 2011-12-20 12:20 PM

 

Oh!..I see...I just thought that if they could be used for reading a card/stick,that would've been handy,as it seems as if quite a few people have Kindles already...:$

 

 

AIUI you can load your own (e.g. PDF) filoes onto a Kindle (which has a massive amount of storage anyway).

 

So, a bit of preparation at home, and no need for the card/stick.

 

;-)

 

 

But if you've got in on a card - no need for a Kindle.

 

If you already have a Kindle, one card should say " someone has stolen my Kindle, so I am unable to let you know what happened, in your language"

 

 

;-)

 

 

.....and if you've got a stick, they probably wouldn't rob you in the first place.

 

Sorted!

 

;-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So sorry to read about your dreadful experience. We had 3attempted robberies just like this a few years ago and are now on La Torreta campsite in Benidorm after an uneventful passing of Barcelona this time.

 

I started a topic about this on another forum under a different forum name.

 

http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/chatter/display_topic_threads.asp?ForumID=7&TopicID=90289&PagePosition=1&ThreadPage=1&ReturnPage=Search&search=Barcelona+Bandits&searchIn=Topic

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...