Mac's Poll - Let's Vote

Sandra Piddock said:
Wednesday, June 12, 2013 @ 10:47 AM

A couple of years back, my teenage grandson went missing after a night's drinking. My daughter and I were walking the streets looking for him at 2.00am. We'd never have done that in the UK. We eventually found him sleeping it off on a bench.

Also, each night when I take out the rubbish before bed - usually around midnight - I'll take a stroll around the block to cool off. Again, I wouldn't even consider going out alone at that time of night in the UK.

Rob Claire said:
Thursday, June 13, 2013 @ 6:09 AM

Although pick pockets seem more of a problem n Spain (a few of my friends were victims of this in Barcelona), it has never felt unsafe to me. From my experience you are more likely to be the victim of violent crime, like from a drunken thug, in the Uk than Spain.

LYNN MCEWAN said:
Saturday, June 15, 2013 @ 8:59 AM

About 5 Weeks ago I was robbed at Alicante Airport at the car/ bus drop off area.
Stupidly I told my husband to drop me off rather than taking the car into the car park.
My husband was stood next to me and we had just taken my suitcase out of the car. The attacker came up behind me and snatched my back from my shoulder.
There were 2 people. One being the driver of the get away car.
The boot was up on the car as they drove off to prevent any cameras from spotting the cars registration. Maybe a stolen car as well. ! The guy who grabbed my bag threw himself into the car. His legs still hanging out as the other drove. I was left without passport driving licence nie no. E11 card. debit/credit cards I phone with all my numbers. 2 pairs of brand new glasses, sunglasses,purse ,flight details etc. It has taken me 5 Weeks to retrieve my goods lost and a lot of money and a lot of frustration and headaches. Including a trip to the Uk. Not being able to hire a car in the Uk. Only getting 40 percent of the cost back. A friend having to lend me a car. Buying a pay as you go phone in the Uk. 2 trips to Liverpool passport office. 117 Euros for a temporary passport. Buying a 2nd flight with Easy jet etc etc.

DoeDoe said:
Saturday, June 15, 2013 @ 9:28 AM

Sadly after purchasing a new apt property in 2007, with all the backing of Atlas, Lawyer and the legal Spanish Government officials Notary) + 4 years of previous research. The complex like many others in Spain still waits for the Local Spanish council to grant the Habitation Certificate.
When Damage to the complex by squatters in the unsold apt was suffered to the utility supplies & wiring stolen from all the accessible Air-con, TV & Telephone units. the local Police could do nothing because the Build had no Habitation Certificate.
The complex Community voted to seal the building up, which forced UK residents to return to the UK and live with their family.
The Builder under the guise of IDEARCO, ceased trading the week we completed our purchase and failed to complete the work (Road surface, Utility Meters, and other work valued at well over 250 k which would have given the complex a Habitation Certificate. This builder is still trading under another company name of which he has many.
The Sumo & local taxes are paid by those who have purchases an apartment and also still pay €100 monthly to the community fund to enable this work to be done. All it needs is the permission from the Local council to proceed with the work needed, they have been dragging their heels for 6 years now and made all the owners which are Spanish, French & UK citizens homeless. Would you feel safe under these circumstances.

rj.tempest said:
Saturday, June 15, 2013 @ 9:32 AM

LYNN MCEWAN
..your point being ?

Martin said:
Saturday, June 15, 2013 @ 10:02 AM

During my early twenties I would go out drinking every weekend in Reading and every week I would see some sort of violence, either a fight or someone being forceably removed by the bouncers...
When I was 27 I moved to the costa del sol for 2 years and during my time there I only saw 2 fights, and those were between British people!
From my experience Spain is far more peaceful BUT petty theft is a big problem... Overall I definitely feel safer in Spain.

Catalanbrian said:
Saturday, June 15, 2013 @ 10:37 AM

Can't see how the legal fiasco surrounding the purchase of an apartment makes you feel less safe. Clearly your appointed lawyer (or like large numbers of Brits did you not appoint one?) is liable for his errors in not ensuring that the apartments had habitation certificate. The notary's job is not to do this but to register the transfer of ownership and to ensure that any taxes relating to that property are paid.

David H said:
Saturday, June 15, 2013 @ 10:47 AM

Yes, we have been robbed by distraction thieves and lost a worrying amount of property and confidential information but you have to ask yourself whether your naïvety didn't contribute something to the bad experience. Exactly the same crimes are being committed all over Europe; most of them have been 'imported' into Spain and are not being committed by Spanish nationals.
If you take notice of what is going-on around you, and don't let people invade your space, that will help a lot.
The Spanish police are not bad at their jobs, they are on the streets in good numbers, and they do catch a lot of criminals.

Annie said:
Saturday, June 15, 2013 @ 12:20 PM

Everyone I know in Spain has been either robbed or burgled and 2 were even violently assaulted. As a woman on my own, I feel much less safe in Spain than I ever did in the UK.

Ange said:
Saturday, June 15, 2013 @ 3:30 PM

We have been robbed at home 3 times, most recent being theft of our huge generator removed from its casing and specially built casita, it was craned in, but if we had gone to tackle them we would have been attacked, neighbours also robbed of their generators now inform us a gang of six men with co tainer lorry caught by police in murcia, but we not informed yet. We are left without power as insurance does notcover remote casita! Police useless here just chasing easy profit traffic fines.

Ivor said:
Saturday, June 15, 2013 @ 4:49 PM

Ive been robbed in my house here in Murcia first night of occupation whilst i was sleeping Also my garden was robbed of all my gnomes and watering system even had a fry up whilst they were doing it and took all my bananas . Ive been robbed in the uk twice also and attacked so im afraid its over the world. ill just say to those thieves if you are reading this taking my gnomes will only bring you bad luck.

Heather Meston said:
Saturday, June 15, 2013 @ 9:58 PM

Imy home has been burgled three times in spain, my car has been broken into and contents hidden in boot taken, twice. I came for a holiday once with friends and my friend was mugged and robbed at the telephone box. One day I was chatting to neighbours over the wall, then I went inside to the bedroom for a second, came back out to find two ladies in my living room taking my camera and whatever else they could get there hands on, I chased them and they were quite indignant.
All incidents were reported to the police and miraculously we man aged to retrieve a passport.
Then I have been robbed blind by a solicitor who charged for work that he lied about and never did. Robbed by a builder who took our money for the next phase of our house build and never appeared again, we tracked him down but never got any more money or work out of him. We had to pay the local council thousands of euros as a deposit to make sure we made the pavements outside of our house to a certain standard that they approved of. The work has been approved but the deposit has still not been returned, eight years on. I feel that I cannot trust any official or the locals!

drsteve said:
Sunday, June 16, 2013 @ 2:09 PM


Personally I have never been accosted but I was the victim of a pickpocket in Madrid some years ago. My apartment near Torrevieja was burgled by thieves climbing on to the roof terrace and stealing the sun loungers - we were not at home. However the property was not broken in to.
I personally feel very safe in Spain away from the big cities. I think London is at least as risky as Madrid or Barcelona.

PJ said:
Monday, June 17, 2013 @ 10:48 AM

Spain is very safe. I feel a lot safer here than in my home country Belgium. The Spanish are not violent, nor do they get completely wasted on alcohol.

yet, petty crime is an issue here in Barcelona. But that is not about safety - it is about me being aware of my surroundings. As much of a pain it is to recover all your lost documents, losing 50 EUR in cash is nothing compared to physical danger at all.

Stan in Beniganim said:
Monday, June 17, 2013 @ 8:34 PM

I live on the campo, with my wife, and have no near neighbours. We have lived here 6 years. I have been stopped for document checks only 4 times and the officers (GC) couldn't have been more courteous and helpful. In UK I was stopped about 6 times in a 12month period and the UK police where rude and aggressive. They acted & looked like action men figures. I have some problems in Spain. I was robbed in a car park by a non-Spanish person who approached me from behind and snatched my "manbag"(that's what my wife calls it). Inside the bag where 2 mobi phones and cash. I eventually found a police officer (it was siesta after all ) to take my report. Then I contacted my broker who got me most of the value back(less an excess). Into my account within 7 days was the agreed value. In UK that would have taken weeks. I have nothing but praise for the Spanish system, which is slow, bureaucratic and possibly corrupt, with pitfalls for US English, But we are in Spain not UK. Every country has it's problems, just adapt. Do not apply UK levels for only the good UK things, but think of the bad UK points. Especially if you are a motorist. Road tax, petrol prices, limited insurance cover, bad roads, crowded motorways. Just enjoy Spain and remember that NOT everything in UK is rosy! Take David Cameron ..... please do take him ........ somewhere and lose him! If anyone has done U turns it's him. Has he done anything that BENEFITS you? Enjoy Spain!