Thank you for the warning and I'm so sorry to hear of this happening to your cousin she must have been very shocked and frightened.

Please send her all our love

ye the police are always powerless,it happened in aug when we were waiting for a bus home from torro,a large group family were waiting for a bus ,when one of the elder people screamed,everone could see a scuffle,but what happened wasa mid aged man as we thought was waiting for bus,put his hand into the pocket of the elder,and run off with his walet,but didn,t get far as someone saw him ,and smacked him in the mouth,but you think as you are in a crowd no one will bother you ,the police were just up a small way and done nothing

when you consider the spanish police are governed by the same rules as uk police ( european human rights laws) it is amazing how they get away with doing nothing. i reported a theft of a camera and money in cyprus a few years back and the police were about to arrest me for wasting police time. it was only after i told them i was a police officer that they gave me a crime number and couldn,t be more helpful.

only our country abides be the human rights laws. the rest turn a blind eye.

when you consider the spanish police are governed by the same rules as uk police ( european human rights laws) it is amazing how they get away with doing nothing

Im actually posting this from Torremolinos.....I have been here during the fiesta, where thousands of people have descended on Torre last week for the Romeria and the feria.

I have seen the police in force and no trouble at all.
Muggings take place all over the world and I have enjoyed mixing with the locals and felt as safe as I would in London or Madrid.

The police where I live in Yorkshire, turn up after the event and give you a crime number for Insurance purposes, so here in Spain it is like England and you are just another crime statistic....they are not getting away with anything...petty crime, although tragic for the victim is low down on the Spanish police list of priorities....the same as the UK.

I personally, wouldnt walk around with my passport or more money that I envisage needing for that day in my handbag, and neither would I walk in unlit areas late at night.......same as I wouldnt in the UK....but for some reason people come to Spain and think it is safe......nowhere in the world is safe these days. IMO
I have said this before.....
Spain has big problems with immigrants, they come from Eastern Europe and Morocco, they come with nothing and have nothing to lose...to survive they have to rob and steal, and sadly life is cheap to them.
The Spanish are sick of them and so are the police Spain is not the same Spain as it was 10 years ago, and the quicker people realise that, the better.

I am sorry when anyone has become a victim of crime, but, alot of the times it could have been avoided with a few seconds thought before hand on the tourists part.... opportunist thieves will strike anywhere and Torremolinos is no different to London, Madrid, or New York.

Besos xxx
sanJi

tes that is true,the problem is not being able to communicate,and pick pockets know that brits are mostly over there on hols,it a good note on spanish police ,i collapsed in aug in airport,unconcious,my bag available for anyone to take as my husband was unaware of what was going on as he was getting suitcases,but a young spanish speaking man who wasalso a nurse in my local hospital ,spoke with security,the police surrounded me and my hand luggage,even my husband was stopped comming to me but as he can speak a little spanish ,told them he was my husband,with all this going on my handbag was still on floor,containing a lot of money,they guarded it till i was taken away .

I live in Torremolinos and can honestly say I have never experienced any problems like this but dounderstand that they happen wherever you are in the world. Unfortunatley the Spanish Police can be a little laid back butif anything like that does happen again try to find someone who speaks Spainish to help that often has more sway.

Don't let this sort of incident put you off Torremolinos is a great place to come.

go there every year for past 11yrs,like it so much bought place in benal,hopefully live there when retire.

I have been reading the local papers whilst here, and I have read that you can report your crime to an English speaking answerphone....they will give you a crime number and then you can take this to the local police station for the appropriate paperwork to be issued.

I am posting this on the hotel computer, but when I get back to England next week, I will pass all information on in this topic.....I have the relevant info in my room, and cannot off hand remember the number to ring....sorry.
On another view.....
A couple of years ago I visited a cafe in Torremolinos and put several carrier bags and my handbag\rucksack on the floor.....I stupidly left the cafe and forgot to pick my handbag up....inside the bag was my mobile phone, mp3 player and some expensive sunglasses ( my purse\ wallet was in my pocket attached to my shorts belt loop via a chain)...only after walking halfway down the street did I realise one bag was missing......my heart skipped a beat and I was convinced that through my own stupidity, I would have lost everything.
I went racing back to the cafe to find the waitress had picked my bag up when clearing the coffee cups\table and put it safely behind the counter.

Needless to say...I was very stupid and very lucky, but the spanish senoritas honesty impressed me greatly, and everytime we come back to Torremolinos, I bring her a present....she still works in the same cafe and that day I had something like 400 plus pounds in value in the bag I left behind.....In the other bags was rubbish Tshirts and cheap presents, which wouldnt have meant too much had they been stolen.

There are honest people here, I have been mixing with them every night....they hate what is happening to their country, believe me, they would kick all the immigrants out tomorrow....the Spanish are way way behind us regarding having a multiculture society.
They (Spanish) are not perfect, but the crime wave statistics are being increased by the immigrants, and that is a fact.

besos xxxx
sanji

I agree with Sanji & Angie. I have been going to Torremolinos for 35 years of my 39 years. I have never had anything like this happen to me. Unfortunately, it does happen as with any country or city. However, you will always find that the Spanish are willing to help. We just have to overcome the barrier that prevents us trying to communicate. OK, I don't have a problem as I can speak spanish and this does help in situations that might otherwise cause a problem. Also, I try not to carry the "Victim flag. That is to say, I apply the common sense there that I do here and everywhere else in the world. Don't carry anything you don't need. I don't carry my passport around here and I don't in Spain. I have a safe in my house in Montemar but not here. However, I don't worry any more as a result.

Ny sister-in-law and late brother in law on holiday in Spain, (Not Torro) were rob in the night while sleeping and the culprits turned out to be Engish when caught had a wardrobe full of camera's ect, and valueables they were people who were bumming there way round Spain (hope I'm allowed to use that word) by any means they could.
pojo

Righty ho...I`m back home
Reporting a crime.....
Many people are put off reporting a crime because of the language barrier and not understanding the police system in Spain.
Where an eventual Insurance claim is involved, the Insurance company will want to know if the crime was reported and will require the reference number.
Whilst there is a very good translation service in SOME police stations, they are usually volunteers and may not be there when you need them.

The National Police now have a service where crimes can be reported by telephone in English...once the report has been made you can simply go to ANY National Police station to sign it and get the required reference number for any Insurance purposes.

This service is obtained by telephoning 902 102 112

Make a note of this number and take it with you on holiday to Spain.

besos xxx
SaNji

Can you believe it
Saturday afternoon (came home on sunday am) we are walking back to Torremolinos from La Carihuela and on the "rock" walkway that separates the two beaches ...there was an incident.

This involved a man and a woman...who looked just like an ordinary couple ( although on reflection, he was too tall to be Spanish.IMO)
He had in his hand a rolled up newspaper and I later discovered this was full of red carnations.

Unlike the gypsies who wave it in your face as they approach you.....this guy comes right up to you before "giving" you a flower from within the newspaper, either by dropping it in your bag or placing it on your body/clothes......one must presume the woman is either a decoy to make them look "normal" or she is the actual pick pocket.
Aparently, he had tried it on with 2 scottish couples and in the incident one of the womens purse landed on the floor....he then pretended to laugh and imply that the woman had dropped it.

The treat of calling the police was like "water off a ducks back"...they just shrugged their shoulders and walked away, looking for the next victim.

Then...they are walking towards me and the hubby....so I`m saying to him (hubby) watch it !!!, but he had already become aware of the situation.....I made no eye contact with them and continued to walk "through them"...and if they had approached me...I`m sorry, but I would have walked through them and pushed them out of the way.
I know this sounds all bravado and easy to type, but I have done it in the past with a gypsy who shoved a piece of rosemary twig in my face....I just grabbed her wrist and pushed her out of my path.
I make no excuses and tell them to off in Spanish, but even if you don`t speak Spanish....they know the English version. ...and although using these words may not be something that you are proud of, ladylike or unbecoming....I`m afraid it is the ONLY way to deal with them....you have to be confident in your voice...saying no thank you, or even giving them a glimpse of attention, puts you in the victim trap. IMO

besos xxx
sanji

that is what i do ,i feel worse for beeing made to go down to their level and use such language,i told them to get out of my way ass hole,and show no fear ,even though yor stomach is in your throat,worked on a few ocations.

I was in Benalmaden last week and we heard of an old couple being mugged in Torremolinos, they got every penny the old couple had and the police asked them to look at mug shots but sadly they could'nt identify them