Spanish Highway Robberies?? (1 Viewer)

[stcyr]

Rose tinted spectacles ....

This was a classic scenario.

 

[jackierals]

Not really sure I want to carry on with this!

The burgundy car parked one space away from the red car & the young girl got out and dropped her money in the space between the two cars. At first she was picking money up from the front side of the burgundy car but then she turned around and bent down to the back side of the red car. The older woman was standing at the back of the red car & the guy was standing at the front with the girl in between them. This at first did not make me think she was doing anything to the tyre. The girl & the man then changed places & he was crouched down by the back tyre, and still I didn't think anything of it. They then switched again & it was at this point that I thought somethings not right and I was watching them intently. The young girl was down by the driverside rear tyre, the older woman was standing in front of her facing the garage and the guy was behind her facing the restaurant & it looked to me as if they were shielding her. The guy saw us watching them & they all got back in the car and drove away. At this stage we knew they had been at the tyre & our first thought was that the red car had pissed off the burgundy car on the motorway. The b car had moved to the other side of the car park & none of the occupants got out. I asked hubby why would you do somebodys tyre & then hang around, surely it would make more sense to bugger off straight away but it still didn't enter our heads that we were watching anything other than a nasty prank, for want of a better word! It was only as the r car drove off and then the b car set off that hubby thought it could be a POTENTIAL robbery.
When we passed the cars in the layby, we saw the r car occupants out of their vehicle with all doors & boot open and they were both at the back of the car along with the guy from the b car. Hubby said to me that they would be ok as there were a few lorries in the layby, but my response to that was most women passengers put their bags in the footwell & you wouldn't pick it up to get out and help hubby change the tyre, so that is a very easy target, but no doubt that is just my imagination working overtime again!!

I have added below an excerpt from an internet article that I found the next day when I was googling AP1 highway robberies.

A British Embassy spokesperson said: “The classic way in which it seems people are being robbed at the moment is that they stop at a service station where a tyre is slashed.”“They head back on down the motorway, the tyre goes flat, they pull in and somebody else pulls in just in front of them, pretending to be helpful. While they are distracted by changing the tyre, somebody else is robbing the car,” he added

This incident, regardless of what we thought we saw, has certainly made us more aware & we will now always check our tyres when we have stopped & left the van for any amount of time.

And now I must go as I have a date with my granddaughter for the first time in 12weeks, Skype just isn't the same.

 

[chaser]

Not really sure I want to carry on with this!

The burgundy car parked one space away from the red car & the young girl got out and dropped her money in the space between the two cars. At first she was picking money up from the front side of the burgundy car but then she turned around and bent down to the back side of the red car. The older woman was standing at the back of the red car & the guy was standing at the front with the girl in between them. This at first did not make me think she was doing anything to the tyre. The girl & the man then changed places & he was crouched down by the back tyre, and still I didn't think anything of it. They then switched again & it was at this point that I thought somethings not right and I was watching them intently. The young girl was down by the driverside rear tyre, the older woman was standing in front of her facing the garage and the guy was behind her facing the restaurant & it looked to me as if they were shielding her. The guy saw us watching them & they all got back in the car and drove away. At this stage we knew they had been at the tyre & our first thought was that the red car had pissed off the burgundy car on the motorway. The b car had moved to the other side of the car park & none of the occupants got out. I asked hubby why would you do somebodys tyre & then hang around, surely it would make more sense to bugger off straight away but it still didn't enter our heads that we were watching anything other than a nasty prank, for want of a better word! It was only as the r car drove off and then the b car set off that hubby thought it could be a POTENTIAL robbery.
When we passed the cars in the layby, we saw the r car occupants out of their vehicle with all doors & boot open and they were both at the back of the car along with the guy from the b car. Hubby said to me that they would be ok as there were a few lorries in the layby, but my response to that was most women passengers put their bags in the footwell & you wouldn't pick it up to get out and help hubby change the tyre, so that is a very easy target, but no doubt that is just my imagination working overtime again!!

I have added below an excerpt from an internet article that I found the next day when I was googling AP1 highway robberies.

A British Embassy spokesperson said: “The classic way in which it seems people are being robbed at the moment is that they stop at a service station where a tyre is slashed.”“They head back on down the motorway, the tyre goes flat, they pull in and somebody else pulls in just in front of them, pretending to be helpful. While they are distracted by changing the tyre, somebody else is robbing the car,” he added

This incident, regardless of what we thought we saw, has certainly made us more aware & we will now always check our tyres when we have stopped & left the van for any amount of time.

And now I must go as I have a date with my granddaughter for the first time in 12weeks, Skype just isn't the same.

Now you are talking!
You could well be right but going by your op , it could have been anything, hope it doesn't put you off and it always pays to walk round your van and check the tyres every time you stop in case they are flat or cracked or whatever, have a good day with the kids

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[Carol]

Jackie, you posted what you saw, no matter these days which country you travel through we all need to be savey to changing ways, it's up to individuals what they make of it, I for one say thank you.

 

[Jim]

It was good that you were heads up about it, and thanks for sharing. Keep em peeled Jackie:thumb:

 

[Don Quixote]

Not really sure I want to carry on with this!

The burgundy car parked one space away from the red car & the young girl got out and dropped her money in the space between the two cars. At first she was picking money up from the front side of the burgundy car but then she turned around and bent down to the back side of the red car. The older woman was standing at the back of the red car & the guy was standing at the front with the girl in between them. This at first did not make me think she was doing anything to the tyre. The girl & the man then changed places & he was crouched down by the back tyre, and still I didn't think anything of it. They then switched again & it was at this point that I thought somethings not right and I was watching them intently. The young girl was down by the driverside rear tyre, the older woman was standing in front of her facing the garage and the guy was behind her facing the restaurant & it looked to me as if they were shielding her. The guy saw us watching them & they all got back in the car and drove away. At this stage we knew they had been at the tyre & our first thought was that the red car had pissed off the burgundy car on the motorway. The b car had moved to the other side of the car park & none of the occupants got out. I asked hubby why would you do somebodys tyre & then hang around, surely it would make more sense to bugger off straight away but it still didn't enter our heads that we were watching anything other than a nasty prank, for want of a better word! It was only as the r car drove off and then the b car set off that hubby thought it could be a POTENTIAL robbery.
When we passed the cars in the layby, we saw the r car occupants out of their vehicle with all doors & boot open and they were both at the back of the car along with the guy from the b car. Hubby said to me that they would be ok as there were a few lorries in the layby, but my response to that was most women passengers put their bags in the footwell & you wouldn't pick it up to get out and help hubby change the tyre, so that is a very easy target, but no doubt that is just my imagination working overtime again!!

I have added below an excerpt from an internet article that I found the next day when I was googling AP1 highway robberies.

[HI]A British Embassy spokesperson said: “The classic way in which it seems people are being robbed at the moment is that they stop at a service station where a tyre is slashed.”“They head back on down the motorway, the tyre goes flat, they pull in and somebody else pulls in just in front of them, pretending to be helpful. While they are distracted by changing the tyre, somebody else is robbing the car,” he added

This incident, regardless of what we thought we saw, has certainly made us more aware & we will now always check our tyres when we have stopped & left the van for any amount of time.[/HI]

And now I must go as I have a date with my granddaughter for the first time in 12weeks, Skype just isn't the same.

Jackie, again you have posted incorrect FACTS I have highlighted your quote which is dated: July 30, 2012 in many "google" and "other search engines" but the way you have wrote your reply it looks like the reference is to your incident !!!!!!!

THERE IS NO RECORDED ROBBERY on AP1 that comes up on any search engine........ in the past 28 days. I have emailed my brother who is in the police and asked if he can get a EU theft report in or around the AP1 and await his reply.

As I stated I thanked you for your original post correct or not, but now your quoting very old news.

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[Jim]

Jackie, again you have posted incorrect FACTS I have highlighted your quote which is dated: July 30, 2012 in many "google" and "other search engines" but the way you have wrote your reply it looks like the reference is to your incident !!!!!!!

THERE IS NO RECORDED ROBBERY on AP1 that comes up on any search engine........ in the past 28 days. I have emailed my brother who is in the police and asked if he can get a EU theft report in or around the AP1 and await his reply.

As I stated I thanked you for your original post correct or not, but now your quoting very old news.

I didn't read it as referencing any particular incident. Rather that during an internet search she discovered that it does happen confirming she was right to be suspicious. And, that news relates to incidents last summer so not that old.

It happens. Telling people it doesn't is IMO as irresponsible as scaremongering. However it's a fine balance to get right, to inform people, giving them enough information to heighten their awareness, (which is the only defence we have) but at the same time explain that the chance of anything happening is so very, very low so not to be deterred.

 

[Don Quixote]

I didn't read it as referencing any particular incident. Rather that during an internet search she discovered that it does happen confirming she was right to be suspicious. And, that news relates to incidents last summer so not that old.

It happens. Telling people it doesn't is IMO as irresponsible as scaremongering. However it's a fine balance to get right, to inform people, giving them enough information to heighten their awareness, (which is the only defence we have) but at the same time explain that the chance of anything happening is so very, very low so not to be deterred.

Jim at no point have told anyone it does not happen nor would I EVER say that. News that is one day is old news ( never mind over a year ago ) and as I stated I have "googled" for 45 minutes to find reference to robbery ( In a Car/MH/Caravan ) in France, Spain or Germany and found nothing.

I have also clearly stated that I'm fully supportive of her post or any other members post about a robbery taking place and but it is purely HEAR SAY........ and NOT FACT.

In my old profession hear say got people killed in this hobby hear say only leads to worry....... that shortens lives.....

 

[superk]

When we were on our six month tours there were a couple of attempts of occupants of cars waving at us like mad and trying to get us to pull over. Our immediate reaction was to stand at the front of the RV pick up a mobile phone and make sure we could be seen phoning. This usually deterred any further interest.

As a back up I had some laminated papers made in various languages and big letters that said, if I remember correctly:

I will not stop but will drive to the police station of the next town or the Service Area. I am calling the Police now for more information.


Portuguese
NÃO PARAREI MAS DIRIGIREI À ESTAÇÃO DE POLÍCIA MAIS PRÓXIMA / CIDADE ou ÁREA DE SERVIÇO - ESTOU CHAMANDO A POLÍCIA DE MAIS INFORMAÇÃO AGORA.

Spanish
NO ME PARARÉ PERO CONDUCIRÉ A LA COMISARÍA MÁS CERCANA / CIUDAD O ÁREA DE SERVICIO - yo de la mañana VOCACIÓN DE LA POLICÍA PARA MÁS INFORMACIÓN AHORA.

French
JE NE M'ARRÊTERAI PAS MAIS JE CONDUIRAI AU POSTE DE POLICE LE PLUS PROCHE / LA VILLE ou la ZONE DE SERVICE - J'APPELLE LA POLICE POUR PLUS DE RENSEIGNEMENTS MAINTENANT.

German
Ich WERDE NICHT ANHALTEN, ABER ich WERDE ZUM NÄCHSTEN POLIZEIREVIER / STADT oder SENDEBEREICH FAHREN - ich RUFE DIE POLIZEI FÜR MEHR INFORMATION JETZT.


Italian
NON MI ARRESTERÒ MA GUIDERÒ ALLA STAZIONE di POLIZIA/CITTÀ o ALL'AREA di SERVIZIO PIÙ VICINA - ORA STO DENOMINANDO LA POLIZIA PER PIÙ INFORMAZIONI.


Dutch
IK ZAL NIET OPHOUDEN MAAR IK ZAL AAN HET MEEST DICHTBIJGELEGEN GEBIED VAN HET POLITIEBUREAU/VAN DE STAD OF VAN DE DIENST DRIJVEN - IK ROEP NU DE POLITIE VOOR MEER INFORMATIE.

Keith

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[Jim]

Jim at no point have told anyone it does not happen nor would I EVER say that. News that is one day is old news ( never mind over a year ago ) and as I stated I have "googled" for 45 minutes to find reference to robbery ( In a Car/MH/Caravan ) in France, Spain or Germany and found nothing.

I have also clearly stated that I'm fully supportive of her post or any other members post about a robbery taking place and but it is purely HEAR SAY........ and NOT FACT.

In my old profession hear say got people killed in this hobby hear say only leads to worry....... that shortens lives.....

Are you saying that we should not take last years robberies into today's threat assessments? Yes its old news, these figures are normally released well after the fact. The OP saw something that may or may not have been a distraction robbery. We know those robberies are rare but they do happen. That she told us about what she thought she saw is a good thing, not bad.

 

[Don Quixote]

Jim, there is a a huge difference between "what she saw" and "what she thinks she saw"

A "reminder" I have no problems with, be it 1 day old or 1 year old.... as we all need reminding from time to time, however this was not a reminder!! she stated what she thinks she saw nothing more.

I'm now worried about this post/thread getting/turning into a slanging match, which I did not intend or want.

 

[Jim]

Jim, there is a a huge difference between "what she saw" and "what she thinks she saw"

A "reminder" I have no problems with, be it 1 day old or 1 year old.... as we all need reminding from time to time, however this was not a reminder!! she stated what she thinks she saw nothing more.

I'm now worried about this post/thread getting/turning into a slanging match, which I did not intend or want.

I'd argue all day that her post was valid, and her intention was not to scare anyone, and I'd do so without it turning into a slanging match

Whether what she witnessed was a crime or just a coincidence we'll never know for sure but her post has reminded us all, that this type of crime does happen from time to time and if it makes us all a little more aware then that has to be a good thing. As long as we have people like you and others who can balance the argument and remind people how unlikely this occurrence is, then the outcome is perfect:thumb:

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[beachcaster]

Iv'e just got back from 4 weeks on the continent a week or so ago.....3 weeks in Spain

I had 3 suspicious incidents.... 2 in service stations...I drove away from very suspicious circumstances before anything could happen.....just followed my gut instinct.

In a separate incident later in Valencia suddenly my drivers side rear tyre developed a flat in heavy slow moving traffic with lots of pedestrians around..I drove on for a couple of hundred yards turned into a park and changed the wheel as fast as I could.
When I took the tyre in to be repaired in Altea the Spanish repairer mimed someone putting a spike into the side of the tyre for that was where the hole was. Not any where near the tread.

Who knows...I think it was someone having a go ..possibly at traffic lights.
Luckily I drove on a bit.

Unemployment for youngsters is 50% .......crime is on the up.
You just have to have your wits about you.

But the worst and most frightening thing was 4 inches of snow out of the blue on the way back between Valencia and Zaragoza........going over the mountain ranges..........with totally mad Spanish HGV drivers. They closed the main road for hours. Crashes left right and centre.

This time we were in our car not the motorhome.....

barry

 

[lou020]

we met a couple in ypres, they had their rear tyre punctured in spain on a services, i think they were still parked up when a man came up and told them they had a flat tyre.
While he managed to get both people out of motorhome and looking at the tyre, another person was in the front robbing them. they took her hand bag containing an old mobile phone,a purse with a few coppers in it (before you start the coppers were the spending type), and she was really peed off because they had taken her mints.

Tyre repair people told them it was a probably a screwdriver that had been used to put a hole in the sidewall of the tyre.
PS..THANKS FOR THE OP, KEEPS US ON OUR TOES.

 

[ivorantony]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEs7_HSIADs&sns=em"]La Policía detiene a un grupo de atracadores que actuaba en la autopista AP-7 de Barcelona - YouTube[/ame]

YouTube of a Spanish motorway robbery, thought it may be of interest.

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[Scottyboy]

I have a colleague at work that got robbed on his way down through Spain in a mercedes, Basically he was driving along and he heard a bang that best he could describe in retrospect as a ball hitting the side of the car.(he never saw this though just speculation after analysing events) At the same time a car drove parallel and was waving and pointing at his rear wheel, Having heard the bang and the guys pointing he obviously wanted to pull in and check. The car in front pulled in in front of him, the 2 guys got out so did he and they gestured him to come look at the wheel, He thought it odd because at first glance his wheel looked ok, the guy keeps pointing and gesturing to come and look so he walks closer and looks then hears the scream of his wife, there was a third guy got out the car on other side and comes through drivers door(right hand drive) and snatched her handbag. So it does happen, be careful.

 

[chaser]

Ok, we all know that this is happening, no dispute.:Sad:
But why the hell are they going to all this trouble when they could just knock some old woman over and take her handbag anytime they want without all this roaming about in cars and risking getting done themselves depending who they pick on, makes no sense to me at all.oh:

 

[Scottyboy]

Ok, we all know that this is happening, no dispute.:Sad:
But why the hell are they going to all this trouble when they could just knock some old woman over and take her handbag anytime they want without all this roaming about in cars and risking getting done themselves depending who they pick on, makes no sense to me at all.oh:

In my friends case his wives handbag had all passports, credit cards and £1800 euros in cash so well worth it.

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[chaser]

In my friends case his wives handbag had all passports, credit cards and £1800 euros in cash so well worth it.

Not disputing anything you say , but in Europe everyone is supposed to be carrying Id and stuff and anyone out shopping is libel to have credit cards and cash in handbag anyway so no need to rob a car.
As in your friends case if she got out and took her bag with her she would still have it with her so only got to rob her in the street:Sad:

 

[Scottyboy]

She stayed in the car with the bag on her lap and they snatched it out of her hands

 

[Scottyboy]

I can see why they do it on a motorway, you can drive off and be many miles away in a very short time making for a perfect getaway.

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[chaser]

Ps, like your pics:thumb::thumb:

 

[callumwa]

In my friends case his wives handbag had all passports, credit cards and[HI] £1800 euros in cash[/HI] so well worth it.

€1800 is a lot of money to carry in cash especially when travelling in a foreign country, never mind being robbed, what if you just misplace you bag.

We keep the passports, valuables and cards in a "safe" place when travelling, somewhere an opportunist thief is unlikely to find them , never even have the time required to find them.

I just have one card and a few Euros of cash in my front pocket.
Heaven forbid, but if we were robbed at least they will only get away with the minimum...

 

[Dereckerick]

Is this happening more so in Spain or has there been such incidents reported in France?

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[chaser]

€1800 is a lot of money to carry in cash especially when travelling in a foreign country, never mind being robbed, what if you just misplace you bag.

We keep the passports, valuables and cards in a "safe" place when travelling, somewhere an opportunist thief is unlikely to find them , never even have the time required to find them.

I just have one card and a few Euros of cash in my front pocket.
Heaven forbid, but if we were robbed at least they will only get away with the minimum...

Yeah same here, have often thought we are carrying far more at home than Europe , we leave all our cards at home and just have a eurocard with maybe £300 in it and you can't use that without a pin, and a bit of daily cash say at the most £20, two old phones with hardly any credit on them and that's it, they would be very disappointed robing us , they probably carrying more than we are:thumb:

 

[Jim]

Is this happening more so in Spain or has there been such incidents reported in France?

It was quite prevalent in France, but about 3 years ago a massive gang was busted, there were around 40 of them arrested, targeting travellers while pretending to be the police. French roads have been much safer since.

 

[ericonabike]

By way of counterpoint, soon after we got our first van we stopped off at a lay-by and public toilets on the A47, just on the Peterborough side of the A1. My wife put the kettle on whilst I nipped over to the toilet. When I returned, my wife was convinced she had just prevented a robbery. Apparently she emerged from the back of the van to the cab area just in time to eyeball a guy standing in front of the cab. He immediately turned on his heel, walked off to his car and drove off. Her handbag was in view on the dashboard at the time...

Was this a thwarted handbag snatch? We'll never know. But it has made us more aware of the need to keep valuables out of sight. And that theft isn't confined to abroad...

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[beachcaster]

Ok, we all know that this is happening, no dispute.:Sad:
But why the hell are they going to all this trouble when they could just knock some old woman over and take her handbag anytime they want without all this roaming about in cars and risking getting done themselves depending who they pick on, makes no sense to me at all.oh:

Well its obvious..... select a car full of gear...foreign number plate and chances are lots of money, passports etc...in a bag which is easy to get at....All that and an easy get away.

barry

 

[beachcaster]

Is this happening more so in Spain or has there been such incidents reported in France?

geographically imagine a horizontal line around Lyon........above that a bit safer....below that more vulnerable...the Romanian/Bulgarian gangs prefer a warmer climate..........well we all do

barry

 

[Gaston aires]

baseball bat

In Spain, if you keep a baseball bat in the car, keep a ball with it. Spanish law says its sports equipment. Without a ball its a a weapon.
True.
Phil

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