Safety & Security in PP!!!

[Sparky]

Whenever I hear these reports it makes me sad and angry but criminals operate all over the world not just in PP, Eroski seem to have more reported incidents but they are also active in Hiper, other shops and of course the markets and they are just as happy to steal from locals as they are tourists.

It makes my blood boil but I can only repeat what I have said many times before....please don't let your guard down.....make it as difficult as possible for these low life parasites .

 

[Major Tom]

These reports keep coming up about thefts in supermarkets, the police could easily
monitor the very few that keep getting mentioned or are they not bothered to help
the tourist ? I too have been robbed inside the large Eroski & when I am told this could happen in the UK-I do not think so !!!! When will the Police/Guarda Civil change their approach to this ever increasing crime that ruins hard working people's holidays or maybe
they just don't care ?

 

[Belladonna]

Totally agree. Both shops and authorities must make more of an effort to help tourists avoid this crime. Tourists are doing their bit - most of the people you hear who have been stolen from say they had their bags zipped etc - so they need to know they are supported in other areas. More signs in various languages making people aware that pickpockets operate would help to remind people. When you are trying to shop etc all good sense takes a step backwards, all the good intentions and knowledge previously taken on board when back at home fades a bit and it only takes that one slip to allow these people to take advantage - where ever they are!

 

[Nick]

Unfortunately the Spanish have a laid back attitude towards most things, hence the state the country's in. They are fully aware of these thieves and it would not be too difficult to put undercover police officers in the shops and nip this in the bud.

I imagine their attitude is that the tourist can afford it and most won't bother to pester the police? How stupidly short-sighted. These thieves need dealing with.

 

[Tiggy]

I wonder if some of the shops where the pick pockets seem to be most active simply are turning a blind eye-
Last year when two failed attempts were made on my bag it was in the same shop and looking back the group of two/three women who I am sure were involved greeted the British sales assistant like she was known to them.The first attempt was April and second in September both times a distraction tactic was involved.

So maybe the staff are scared of reprisals and as long at it doesnt effect them directly then que sere sere .

As for supermarkets - whats in it for them -the staff are low paid and not motivated and then have customers coming in filling shopping trolleys to the hilt -when staff are often struggling to pay for the day to day basics but then thats another can of worms .......

Markets the world over are a pick pockets paradise be it Pollensa, the souk in Marrakesch or a sunday car boot in Blighty.

When good people in any country cease their vigilance and struggle, then evil men prevail.

 

[Mimsy]

Unfortunately when people are on holiday they do seem to forget to be vigilante.

I was in Eroski the other day and a group of adults were paying for their shopping they all went for their purses and started producing large wads of cash and started waving them around with the usual 'I'll get this one' 'no we'll get this' 'let's all put a bit in'. No doubt any pickpocket watching this debacle was rubbing their hands.

Although sometimes I think Eroski prices are daylight robbery!

 

[GeordieLad]

Beach thefts

In the last three days I've heard of two thefts on the beach near Burger King, one whilst the owner was in the sea swimming. A bag was stolen, also a sleeping sunbather awoke to find his phone and wallet gone from his bag. I myself was lucky on Sunday, I'm a scooterist in the UK, and saw a line of Vespas on the footpath, I was carrying two bottles of water. I placed the water on the wall, and as the case on my iPhone is worn and blocks the lens, spoiling photos, I removed the iPhone from the case, and placed the empty closed case by the water, I took some photos, less than a minute, never moving tenn feet away from the water and iPhone case. When I'd finished taking pics, I noticed the empty case was gone. To anyone passing it would have looked like an iPhone. Maybe there's a gang working the beach. Be careful.

 

[Nick]

Cheers for the tip-off GL. Not good news but I suppose it's a sign of the times. We've all got to be more vigilant and careful with our possessions.

 

[3ducks]

passports stolen......

Hi, we are here on hols and have had our passports and money taken from our villa two days after arrival.I suppose one piece of luck is that our credit cards, phones , jewellery etc were left which seems a bit weird to me!
The police have said sometimes passports are recovered, has anyone had any exoerience of this? The cost of 5 emergency passports is nearly £500 so the consulate have said to wait a few days but I am very pessimistic they will be found

Hoping to get back to normality for the childrens sake, do not want them to remember this holiday for all the wrong reasons!

 

[eleanor]

Oh no! This is such a shame. I assume someone broke in to the villa and stole your things? It is very strange that they seemed to target what they wanted. Either that or they were disturbed before taking the other items? Assuming they targetted then it was passports they were looking for. Be very careful therefore to ensure you are not open to identity fraud. We were mugged a few years back and had our passports stolen. The police did tell us that passports are worth a lot of money to some of our 'friends' from various eastern european countries. This of course may not be so much the case now as technology has advanced therefore making life just a little more difficult for these people.

What I would say is that from experience the chances of the return of your passports is probably slim. Ok the cost is massive for getting replacements but I would get on and do it sooner than later really as then it isn't hanging over your head and you can get on with your holiday. I think if the passports were to be found they would have turned up by now. Sometimes they are just put into a nearby bin. The fact that these passports were actually taken deliberately and not that they were in a stolen bag makes me think that they were wanted by these people.

I am so sorry this has happened to you. This needs to be a reminder to us all to be on our guard - not that i'm suggesting you weren't of course. We give a list of names and contact details to our guests of people who might arrive at the villa. i.e. the cleaner's name and poolman's name. That way they can ask and if the supposed cleaner can not give the correct name or indeed our name then sorry - no entry!

I hope you sort this out asap and can go on to enjoy your holiday.

 

[sws97sdg]

I know this is of no help to you, but the advice is to take a photocopy of your passport with you and to store it separately from your passport, or store such items on a webpage somewhere so you have access to it if you need it while abroad. I hope you get it sorted and get back swiftly!

 

[Meerkat]

When we first visited the area many years ago the advice from the OSL rep ( a company much missed) was to buy a nappy pin (stronger than a safety pin) and use it to fasten the zip tag to the handbag strap. At the time I thought this was a bit over the top but reading this now I'm not so sure...

 

[CathB]

We always take a copy with us and before now left one with a neighbour..i have also scanned ours and attached it to an email and sent it to myself.. Having had a handbag taken ( luckily no cards or anything in it just phones) so prob a little over cautious .

 

[eleanor]

These are good ideas but such a shame we have to even think of having to do this. A sign of the times I suppose. It seems that this was something which happened at their place of stay though and not through a bag. I would be interested to know how it happened. We lock everything in our safe when we are there but it is so easy to let your guard down. Even this last time we were out I left my bag and phone downstairs with doors open while sitting on the upstairs terrace! SOmething I tell others not to do and I did it!

 

[tangofan]

This is a horrid thing to happen - I hope it doesn't spoil your holiday too much 3ducks.

The advice to keep a copy of passports, both paper and in an email is very wise. It reminds me of when our son had his passport stolen in South America. It had his contact details in it and we received a phone call from a lady saying that her friend had "found" his passport and was ringing to check if he was still in the country so it could be returned to him. We said he wasn't and asked if she could post it back to us which she said she would but it was never received.

We realised later that the call was to check if he was still nearby and the fact that he wasn't made it easier for the thief to do whatever they do with stolen passports. It made it a whole lot easier that he had a copy when it came to getting a temporary passport.

 

[3ducks]

Thanks all- we are very cautious and have colour copies of our oassports, credit cards held separately etc, even have my purse tied into my handbag as recommened upthread! Can't put too many details on a public forum for obvious reasons, but theft was from villa . I have fingers crossed passports will be found and handed in, cost of emergency travel docs and new passports will cost as much as holiday

If anyone finds them , please hand in to police and we will be very grateful!

 

[3ducks]

Thanks all- we are very cautious and have colour copies of our oassports, credit cards held separately etc, even have my purse tied into my handbag as recommened upthread! Can't put too many details on a public forum for obvious reasons, but theft was from villa . I have fingers crossed passports will be found and handed in, cost of emergency travel docs and new passports will cost as much as holiday

If anyone finds them , please hand in to police and we will be very grateful!

 

[tangofan]

Have you checked your insurance policy - you may find you are covered for replacement passports, or at least a temporary one to get you home?

 

[clinkham]

Friends of ours had a bag snatched as we loaded up to leave the Pollensamar apartments for the airport. Reception at the Bahia were most helpful, and found them accommodation over the weekend whilst they waited for the Consulate to open on the Monday. We carried on to the airport and home. We related this sad tale to the Jet2 service desk person at the airport.
She suggested that in a case such as this - i.e the loss of passport was so near the departure time or the passenger was unable to access the consulate for temporary travel documents - then they should go to the airport for their flight as the carriers have ways and means of getting you home on your booked flight.

 

[eleanor]

Friends of ours had a bag snatched as we loaded up to leave the Pollensamar apartments for the airport. Reception at the Bahia were most helpful, and found them accommodation over the weekend whilst they waited for the Consulate to open on the Monday. We carried on to the airport and home. We related this sad tale to the Jet2 service desk person at the airport.
She suggested that in a case such as this - i.e the loss of passport was so near the departure time or the passenger was unable to access the consulate for temporary travel documents - then they should go to the airport for their flight as the carriers have ways and means of getting you home on your booked flight.

This is exactly what Easyjet did for us when we were mugged. It happened on a Saturday evening and we were due to fly on the Sunday. Easyjet were brilliant and put up a bond for us so we could travel. We did feel like criminals mind you as seated in front of plane ad asked to remain there until last people left before being escorted through the airport. At least we were home!! No passports were ever found.