Whilst crime seems to be on the increase in the whole of Europe, Spain saw an overall decrease in reports of burglary in the first half of the year. However, the National Police have issued a notice of advice on possible ways of decreasing your risk of becoming a victim of crime during the summer months, traditionally a period where crime at coastal areas increases.
Some techniques used by offenders include ’scaling’ buildings, using ropes, cables, wires and pipes to access homes through open windows and the ’slip’, buy using a plastic insert into the slot of the access door.
Therefore, the National Police Force advise you to check that ALL doors and windows of the home are closed and locked securely and that window blinds are totally down. Do not leave money or anything value lying around. Make a detailed list of equipment such as cameras, DVD players, computers, videos and other devices, with their serial numbers for easy identification and to use automated timers to schedule a radio or a lamp to start up at random times, thus giving the impression that someone is in the house.
They have also said that you should call 091 if you notice strangers loitering near property, or on the street or if you hear noises in vacant homes. They also recommend that the doors of the house must meet certain minimum conditions of security and recommended the installation of at least two sets of locks at different levels, do not open the door to unknown persons, and change the locks if you lose the keys or if they are stolen.
They also recommend telling a close and discreet friend if you are going on holiday and leaving the keys to your house with a trusted person, asking them to collect your mail from the mailbox, as this is another clue that the property might be empty.
Never tell strangers of when your property might be left vacant. This includes being cautious of posting future plans on the internet on so called social networking sites such as Face Book or My Space, as modern thieves have been known to use this information for their own practices.
During a journey, the police advised you not to carry baggage of persons unknown to them, never label your luggage with the your home address, avoid travelling with large amounts of money and, in the case of travel by train or bus, keep track of your luggage, especially at intermediate stops.
Advice also considered appropriate is that if you are in a hotel or apartment, take the same security measures that you would normally use at home. Keep your valuables in a safe place and perhaps leave the radio on, or an interior light if it is at night. Exterior lights are often turned on to allow the returning residents to see their way into the property, but can also serve as a beacon to thieves that the property is vacant.
In public places, the National Police advise that you take precautions to prevent handbags, jewelry or similar items being seized, perhaps by a “drive by grab”. Do not leave your bag on a table and unsecure and always wear it so that it is between two people and away from the roadside. Finally, never show off your money of valuables in public as they can serve as temptation for would be thieves.
Be vigilant, be careful and report your suspicions, that way you reduce the risk of being a victim of crime.
