Gangs hitting tourists and spanish drivers on motorways

Hi All

I wanted to know if anyone has heard of the above as I read the Mail Online, and there is a piece describing how the gangs hit british, and hire cars, and even Spanish drivers on the mortorways.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2179516/The-hideaway-crime-gangs-hitting-holiday-Brits-Spain-Hundreds-driving-British-registered-vehicles-hire-cars-having-money-possessions-taken.html

I am having second thoughts on driving alone in October, if you have heard or know of the above, pls let me know

Mabel

 

This has been happening for a while, I remember an incident when Alan, a delivery driver who used to ship people possessions down to Condado got robbed near Valencia.

Another trick they use is to puncture your tyre at motorway services, knowing that you will have to pull over in a few miles. They would then follow you and rob you when you stopped.

Be alert, aware and dont stop for anyone. You should be fine.

This article relates to a spate of robberies to motorists in UK plated cars using the AP 7 during the school holiday high season around the Barcelone and Valencia area. I've just driven down that route and across through Madrid with no problems and it was extremely quiet.

I would recommend avoiding stopping at service areas near major cities, don't leave you vehicle unattended if at all possible and watch out for people who are obviously immigrants moving around the country by blagging lifts from truck drivers. They tend to gather in numbers in some service areas and they are the ones who will try their hand at robbing tourists.

By the way the AP 7 is hellishly expensive on tolls especially around Valencia, might be worth seeking alternative. Jon Faulkner.

Hello, Mabel:  I would advise extreme caution when driving alone on the AP7. We got robbed 2 days ago driving south between Barcelona and Tarragona. We were driving a French registered car, not UK. Our tyre was spiked at a service station; we were followed;  as we pulled over to inspect  the damage to a relatively new tyre, Mr Friendly (Romanian) speaking strange Spanish, stops to "help" place the red triangle in the correct spot, while accomplice helps himself from the car; all done in a flash, a classic scam and we feel like idiots. If you are alone, it means that you can't stop at all at any service station because you shouldn't leave your car unattended for one second.  It's a long drive from the French border to Valencia and beyond wthout stopping!  Finding an alternative route seems a good idea.  And, yes, the AP7 is horribly expensive on tolls.