Bulletguy Posted December 20, 2011 Author Share Posted December 20, 2011 Lots of interesting points have now been raised on this thread. Tracker's phone link would certainly have proved useful to me had I known about it at the time. For just a tenner (or less) it seems money well spent. That this type of robbery has been going on for some considerable years now in that particular area, I find quite disturbing. Not only does it reflect very badly on the general policing of the area, but on the country as a whole. It is after all a toll section so every vehicle has to exit through barriers at some point. Had the Police acted with more enthusiasm there was at least a chance, even given the brief detail I could supply of the vehicle, that an early apprehension could have been made. The matter of examining CCTV footage never seemed to enter their heads, yet it was one of the first things I thought about as i'd only just refuelled at a Service Station a few minutes before it happened. That other MH/Campervan owners from the UK have experienced a variety of methods used to get the vehicle to stop, even to the point of being rammed, is a disgrace which seriously needs addressing at the highest level. The equations seem quite simple. Any foreign registered vehicle travelling SOUTH = rich pickings with the chance of a good amount of cash being on board. Any foreign registered vehicle travelling NORTH (back out of Spain) = occupants returning back home with very little money and not worth the 'effort' of robbing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike88 Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 As I understand it from speaking to people similarly affected most of the holdups are on the toll free section around Barcelona. That was where my own attack took place and that of a Dutch couple who had been robbed of their possessions on the same day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesFrance Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 I was interested to read that you described the robbers as French. I would be surprised if that were the case but I would expect the cars used to be stolen. One vehicle which tried it on us was a German reg BMW, but the occupants looked much more like North Africans, maybe Moroccan or Algerian. This scam started years ago by South Americans and various gangs were rounded up then. It then passed to the North Africans, however I think it is now mainly East Europeans. Spain now has a large Romanian community specialising in prostitution and other more illegal activities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 A few more practicalities. I assume you have examined all your insurances to see how much cash is covered? Don't forget home contents insurance, some of which include cash while away from home. Ditto some motorhome insurances. CPP (Card Protection Insurance) is, IMO, a worthwhile buy. One call blocks all cards, and you can add details of passport, driving licence etc, so that relevant authorities can also be notified. Stolen cash can also be claimed (subject to a limit), although proof of purchase will be required. There is a form that can be downloaded from the FCO in the event of stolen passport. It is for use at overseas British Embassies/Consulates. Scan and print, and carry somewhere discreet, copies of passport, driving licence, EHIC, V5C, insurance certificate, health insurance, any prescriptions for essential drugs, current spectacles prescription, etc. If you have the facility, also save the scans to your computer as .pdf files, and copy these to an SD card or memory stick, that you can take with you in a safe hidey-hole. Spread cash around the vehicle as well as in your wallet. Try to open more than one credit card account, and keep the second card separate from the first. Ditto debit card account, although this would mean holding more than one current account. Consider a pre-loadable cash card (or even two, carry one, hide one) loaded with an emergency reserve you can hide away. Caxton FX, Post Office, etc. These can be topped up by phone/internet, so there is no need to hold large sums on the cards. Let's see what others can suggest to add. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Pets - make sure your pets have a tag on them with your mobile phone number on (with the country code) and a message in the country's language saying they are lost and to ring you - we always do, more in case the little s*ds go for a wander off (as our Midge did once in France and we found him snuffling on the nearby-beach *-) ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Bulletguy - 2011-12-20 6:24 PM Lots of interesting points have now been raised on this thread. Tracker's phone link would certainly have proved useful to me had I known about it at the time. For just a tenner (or less) it seems money well spent. You must have missed it BG, but I had put the same phone link in my post at the top of page 3. My bank gives me access to Sentinel Card Protection (see Brian's post as well) which covered the loss of money when my purse was stolen and I did not have to prove how much was in it. They also cover the cost of the purse and have just raised the reimbursement limit - I think it also covers the handbag now too. I was annoyed that my holiday insurance did not cover the loss. I was covered for 63 days, and the theft was well inside that time, but I inadvertently told them I had not fixed a return date so they (the "snotty operator!) said I was not covered. This was new to me as I have renewed before while abroad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted December 20, 2011 Author Share Posted December 20, 2011 JamesFrance - 2011-12-20 6:43 PM I was interested to read that you described the robbers as French. I can only state that for certain the one which spoke to me was. The second youth never spoke a word and of course I didn't see the third until their car pulled away. Best description of the vehicle I could give to the Police was a small compact, possibly a Clio or Peugeot 106.......white. *-) I never even noticed the plates but most foreign number plates to us are just that.....foreign! Not that easily memorable but it was probably on false plates anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted December 20, 2011 Author Share Posted December 20, 2011 Patricia - 2011-12-20 9:31 PM You must have missed it BG, but I had put the same phone link in my post at the top of page 3. Sorry about that Patricia. I've added the link and may well look into taking out a subscription. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aande83 Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 hi all, we are all scared of being accosted during our travels in france and spain. May I tell you of an instance we had during our travels in Greece this summer. We had been travelling up in the hills for at least 2 hours, it seemed miles from anywhere. We finally stopped at a pull-in to let vehicles pass. No sooner had we stopped than a car with 2 guys and a female stopped right behind us in the pull-in. we put the proverbial brittish kettle on (and we always ensure the cab doors are locked even though we are still inside). The only door open was the habitation door where I sat waiting for the tea! The two foreign guys were slicing up a salami with a f****** great knife and the girl was squatting outside. I became apprehensive but I noticed that the car had french number plates and the "F" marking - so no problem - I speak french. I started a conversation and they looked blank at me!!! My french is not that bad!! One of the guys came forward and demanded a cigarette! my wife - still at the habitation door gave him two! I tried to engage him and eventually I elicited from him that they were Romanian!! Plenty of cars were passing and there was a drinking fountain opposite which many kind Greek people were stopping at to fill their bottles. I posed tough (im 63!!!!) and I believe it was only the fact that many many greek people were stopping opposite to fill their bottles that they gave up and disappeared down the road. I too have travelled around Barcelona and I was aware of strange people driving around and people watching the vehicle when we stopped at stations on the motorways - we had a cuppa in the van (with doors locked) and moved on to a smaller petrol station for safety. Mind you, I believe that none of us are immune from the neardowells that exist throughout europe. I intend to continue to travel throughout europe it is not the sole preserve of these people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted December 20, 2011 Author Share Posted December 20, 2011 Brian Kirby - 2011-12-20 7:32 PM A few more practicalities. I assume you have examined all your insurances to see how much cash is covered? Don't forget home contents insurance, some of which include cash while away from home. Ditto some motorhome insurances. Currently going through all this at the moment Brian, dealing with my BS who provided a Travel Policy plus my vehicle Insurance. Over Christmas there will be a lot of paperwork to go through and more form filling. Embarrassing but some time after i'd left the Police Station I discovered a couple of other items had gone which i've told my Insurance about but don't know the possibility of recovery of costs as they are not on the Police documents. The scumbags even grabbed a bag of toiletry items from when i'd stayed overnight at my sons in London before leaving for Dover. Nothing of value in it but soon as i'd got some money wired through I had to buy some deodorant and a comb! Certainly need to keep record of Passport number somewhere as I was asked for that a few times and of course could not provide it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Welcome to the forum aande83 and hope you will be able to contribute to happier threads than this. The last time I went to Spain I ventured south from Catalan for the first time and managed to miss the turn before Barcelona. I had to navigate through Barcelona itself (not to be recommended with all the underpasses etc in the rush hour!) cursing myself all the way, particularly as I was unable to see any of the sights! However, it seems I might have done myself a favour as it could be safer that way! BG I have some knowledge of how you felt during the robbery itself as years ago we stopped on a service area in Italy in our (then) Autosleeper hi-top. We watched two girls come over from the phone box and one of them spoke to my husband who was sat on the driving seat with it turned round. She was asking him for change. I was sat on the long bench seat with the sliding window open but with the fly screen down so the other girl could not see me. While the one distracted my husband the other was scratching frantically at the blind with her finger nails. It sounds silly, and I am ashamed to say it, but it really frightened me and we never stopped on a service area in Italy again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nasher Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Hi everyone, having read all the hints and tips about hiding money valuables in the motorhome etc. I just wondered if someone from spain reads this forum? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 nasher - 2011-12-20 10:33 PM Hi everyone, having read all the hints and tips about hiding money valuables in the motorhome etc. I just wondered if someone from spain reads this forum? At least two do but they're British. (lol) (lol) (Good question though!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peter Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Posted by nasher:- Quote "Hi everyone, having read all the hints and tips about hiding money valuables in the motorhome etc. I just wondered if someone from spain reads this forum?"Unquote. Yes they do, his name is Bruce and he goes by the pseudonym of BGD. He's well known to most members of this forum and it's suspected that he's a spy for the scumbgs in spain who are carrying out these offences. He lets them know of people who may have a few bob and when they may be travelling to spain. So be very careful of how much information you divulge about your wealth and travelling plans, as you may be being watched. You have been warned. (lol) (lol) (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwendolyn Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 Brian Kirby - 2011-12-20 7:32 PM A few more practicalities. Scan and print, and carry somewhere discreet, copies of passport, driving licence, EHIC, V5C, insurance certificate, health insurance, any prescriptions for essential drugs, current spectacles prescription, etc. If you have the facility, also save the scans to your computer as .pdf files, and copy these to an SD card or memory stick, that you can take with you in a safe hidey-hole. Let's see what others can suggest to add. As well as carrying those details and scanned docs on a memory stick, I have emailed them to myself as attachments to gmail and hotmail addresses so that they can be accessed from any computer should my lap top / stick also get stolen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dikyenfo Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 Despite warnings nobody takes any notice and it is time you woke up to smell the coffee. Arm yourselves with legal wepons to use as a last resort. Learn to use them effectively. There are no laws in Spain/France to prevent this and it is expected you will look after your property and not moan on and bloody on for someone else to do it for you. Wimps and whingers get on my wick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1footinthegrave Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 dikyenfo - 2011-12-21 10:56 AM Despite warnings nobody takes any notice and it is time you woke up to smell the coffee. Arm yourselves with legal wepons to use as a last resort. Learn to use them effectively. There are no laws in Spain/France to prevent this and it is expected you will look after your property and not moan on and bloody on for someone else to do it for you. Wimps and whingers get on my wick. A few suggestions for legal weapons as a last resort would help if I'm attacked, what would you recommend for me for example,I'm 66, and need to be able to potentially take on multiple people, almost certainly a good deal younger and stronger................or perhaps I should work out more 8-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightrider Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 1footinthegrave - 2011-12-21 11:19 AM dikyenfo - 2011-12-21 10:56 AM Despite warnings nobody takes any notice and it is time you woke up to smell the coffee. Arm yourselves with legal wepons to use as a last resort. Learn to use them effectively. There are no laws in Spain/France to prevent this and it is expected you will look after your property and not moan on and bloody on for someone else to do it for you. Wimps and whingers get on my wick. A few suggestions for legal weapons as a last resort would help if I'm attacked, what would you recommend for me for example,I'm 66, and need to be able to potentially take on multiple people, almost certainly a good deal younger and stronger................or perhaps I should work out more 8-) As someone who is not a wimp and a whinger and can give as good as I get in a bundle but is also aware of my age and abilities, Spanish and British laws may differ in the use of weapons to defend oneself, the use of a gun and a knife are a no no over here, so what would you suggest would be a legal weapon here in the UK? Perhaps a cut down rolling pin kept in the drivers side door pocket? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1footinthegrave Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 Right, there's three of them, I'll take the first one out with a head butt tothe nose, prompltly swing round with a drop kick to the 2nd one, then a throwing knife to take out the third who is by now running away, simple..... :D :D :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 dikyenfo - 2011-12-21 10:56 AM Despite warnings nobody takes any notice and it is time you woke up to smell the coffee. Arm yourselves with legal wepons to use as a last resort. Learn to use them effectively. There are no laws in Spain/France to prevent this and it is expected you will look after your property and not moan on and bloody on for someone else to do it for you. Wimps and whingers get on my wick. Under the circumstances I think that the above is a thoroughly nasty attitude and a very unpleasant posting when everyone else seems to be working together to resolve best practise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightrider Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 1footinthegrave - 2011-12-21 11:39 AM Right, there's three of them, I'll take the first one out with a head butt tothe nose, prompltly swing round with a drop kick to the 2nd one, then a throwing knife to take out the third who is by now running away, simple..... :D :D :-S You should change your nick to Clint Eastwood (lol) to carry a knife on your person is a no no as I said before, when confronted by one or two muggers a lightening reaction is needed, something like the strike of a black mamba. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malc d Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 dikyenfo - 2011-12-21 10:56 AM Despite warnings nobody takes any notice and it is time you woke up to smell the coffee. Arm yourselves with legal wepons to use as a last resort. Learn to use them effectively. There are no laws in Spain/France to prevent this and it is expected you will look after your property and not moan on and bloody on for someone else to do it for you. Wimps and whingers get on my wick. It's always interesting to me to hear a different point of view. You'll have to let us know how you get on if / when you are attacked. :-| Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightrider Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 Tracker - 2011-12-21 11:42 AM dikyenfo - 2011-12-21 10:56 AM Despite warnings nobody takes any notice and it is time you woke up to smell the coffee. Arm yourselves with legal wepons to use as a last resort. Learn to use them effectively. There are no laws in Spain/France to prevent this and it is expected you will look after your property and not moan on and bloody on for someone else to do it for you. Wimps and whingers get on my wick. Under the circumstances I think that the above is a thoroughly nasty attitude and a very unpleasant posting when everyone else seems to be working together to resolve best practise. I dont think it is a nasty attitude, the way things are today one is forced to defend oneself or end up as a brain dead cabbage by some snotty nosed Herbert. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 That reminds I must take a can of spray glue ;-)...................then if someone tries to mug me I can spray them in the kisser and say "This is a stick up" (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peter James Posted December 21, 2011 Share Posted December 21, 2011 Best weapons are guile and cunning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.