Greetings!

Having been in Spain since December, and promising ourselves that important documents would never leave our side - Im afraid we suffered an attack of momentary complacency, and have paid for it dearly !!!!!      For the first time ever, this morning we left a folder containing some documents hidden in the car, which was parked in Los Alcazares....only to return shortly to find the back window smashed and the folder missing !!!!    We have lost our passports, original NIE and Padron...luckilly, there were no bank details, credit cards, or cash in it, but the effect on my wife Sheila was devastating, and it will now be an annoying, expensive, and inconvenient excersise to replace some items !   Please be aware, that opportunistic crime here is rife, and there is no room for carelessness or complacency.   We found the police accomodating and efficient and helpful, but this sort of thing is so commonplace, that they hold little hope of actually catching the culprits !   Please everyone, dont let this put you off Spain, but be aware, alert, and careful, there are lots of bad guys out there !!!!!

oh gosh thats terrible, im so sorry you have just gone through that. Please send our best wished to Shiela and we hope you get it all sorted as pain free as possible. That really is very sad.

Tina x

to sheila and allan

sorry to here of your horrible theft ,thanks for the warning hope u soon get over it and all is well again its no help but i t happens in england a lot as well it just is a stark reminder to be careful but sun sea and sangria it would be so easy  to forget to be on your guard  thanks  take care

best wishes

rosita and rob

Hi Alan & Sheila,

sorry to hear the bad news as you said you have been very careful with documents etc, i can remember Sheila saying the day we had lunch  down at Los alcazares with Marie & Bob, that all your documents never leave her having them in the bum bag at all times. Also we were talking how they distract you and must always have our bearings about us at all times. But thats the same in the UK , as you rightly said this is hopefully just been bad luck,and don't let it get you down give my love to Sheila,

Shirley & Mark x

Hi Sheila and Alan,

Sorry to hear about what happened.............................it was good of you to mention it on-line...........it's certainly been a wake up call for all but these things could have happened anywhere.

Regards to you both and keep smiling like your picture.

Take Care

Jean and Chris

Hi Sheila and Alan

Sorry to hear about your unfortunate incident and hope it has not put you off being in spain, as previous posts have said it happens so often now back home in fact not far from where I work people have had there cars broken into on a regular basis its does'nt matter where you are in the world these things happen, myself and Steve were on holiday last year in Africa staying with relatives and were broken into our cases were rifled through  and most of our clothing stolen, and personal items, and it does disturb you plus all the inconvenience of replacing these items so we know how you must be feeling, but like your incident no one was hurt physicaly and that is the main thing. You have both been so helpful on this forum and its a shame it has happened to you, anyway take care and keep smiling

Best Wishes

Julie and Steve

Hi Alan & Sheila

Have sent you a private email.

We will make sure Sheila has a really really big cup of tea when we are over - just got to buy some cups or mugs first!!!!

Sue

Hi Alan and Sheila

Sorry to hear about your incident 

Iain Wendy and boys

Hi Alan and Sheila

Colin and I are both really sorry to hear what has happened to you. We wish you both a very Happy Easter and we hope that you are managing to get your lives back into order.

Best regards

Gill and Colin.

Hi Sheila & Alan

I'm truly sorry to read of your theft, we've been away hence the delay in response.

Unfortunately the world we live in, whether it be here, there or anywhere else is getting worse. Everyone wants something for nothing and thinks that world owes them a living and God forbid if we have something they want - its their right to take it!

We must all try to be as vigilant in our new homes as we are in the UK. People are just looking for opportunity.

Good luck replacing your documents - let us all know how you get on.

Donna

Thankyou to everyone for your kind words, re our unfortunate experience.   We have all the necessary forms to send to the Madrid Embassy to get new passports, the biggest problem being, finding someone who has known us for 2 years, to authenticate the forms, because having left England for good, all ties with professional bodies have been severed, no doubt we will find a way round it !                  Spain is not noted for excessive gun or knife crime, as that activates the police, but it is noted for its opportunistic crime, especially against the naive or unwary, and as this type of crime is so commonplace, the police just shrug, fill in some forms, and very seldom does anything positive happen, and the criminals know this, so prefer to keep low key !   Crimes against children are virtually unheard of ( Tina please take note ) and as long as one does not lax into complacency, all should be ok.  The usual "must haves" on the scumbags list, are cash, credit cards, and passports, and also mobile phones. Property robberies are commonplace on complexes that are full of unlived in houses, but as there will be plenty of full timers in our San Cayetano complex, with our vigilance, things should be ok.  There is actually no more crime here than in the UK, but being a holiday destination, it is of course always in the news !  I hope this alleviates some peoples fears...dont give up on Espana, Just be as careful here as you are in the UK, and things will be rosy.

Alan y Sheila

Thanks Shiela and Alan

I really needed to hear that today. What has been wrong with me today i dont know (tired i think)  but thank you. Im glad you are getting things back together with your paperwork. I feel positive again about it all thank you. We are coming out for a  month soon and would love to meet up. I will email you. Thanks

Tina x

p.s im going to stop reading the papers i think