Practical safety tips in Spain (Part 1)

This article is the first one of a series (read Practical Safety Tips in Spain – Part 2).

There’s something very interesting that I would like to share with you about basic and practical safety in Spain, but let me tell you this little story first.

Last weekend, one of my clients was robbed. He was at a big supermarket (no names, don’t want to give them free publicity!). Then, a man came towards him and did something with his hands, distracting my client while somebody else from behind picked his wallet.

I went with him as his translator to report it to the Guardia Civil in Almoradi. While we were describing the events, I saw on the wall a paper with a list of some basic safety tips.

What did I think then? Yes, you got it: good material to share with you all! So, I asked the Guardia Civil if he could make a photocopy for my blog, which he did.

For those who don’t know much about it, the Guardia Civil is one of the Spanish national polices located all over the country. They specially take care of small towns -along local police-, and motorways, although they have a lot of divisions like airports, special forces, explosives, etc.

The Guardia Civil keeps an internal military status, including their ranks and emblems, and wear a green uniform. You might see them riding motorcycles, cars or even doing some controls at any of the numerous roundabouts of Spain.

Anyway, I’d like to give special thanks to the Guardia Civil of Almoradi for providing me with the following useful advices.

9 PRACTICAL SAFETY TIPS IN SPAIN

1. Make a note of the make, model and serial number of your TV, DVD player, video camera, digital camera, etc. Even mark them, in order to make the recovery easier.

2. Keep the bill in the box of your mobile phone. They are very important for the Guardia Civil.

3. Make a note of the numbers of your debit and credit cards, as well as the phone numbers where you should call in case of theft.

4. It is very important to bring the above mentioned information when you go to report the loss or the theft, especially the information related to mobile phones and credit cards.

5. Do not leave handbags, purses, wallets and keys close to open windows because it is easy to steal them with sticks and hooks.

6. Put in your windows and doors small sound alarms, which you can purchase in shops.

7. When you go out, leave some lights, music or radios on, in order to pretend that someone is at home.

8. Make a note of the registration numbers of suspicious vehicles which prowl around your house, and then, call the Guardia Civil or Local Police to give them this information.

9. Get a friend to collect your mail while you are away.

I found an interesting Website in case you would like to read more about the Spanish Guardia Civil:

http://www.fiep.org/member-forces/spanish-guardia-civil/

The previous Website belongs to the FIEP, which, as they describe, is “an association of national gendarmeries or affiliated corps, encompassing the European and Mediterranean Gendarmeries and Police Forces with Military Status”. In my opinion, they describe very well the Spanish Guardia Civil.

I am compiling other practical safety tips from my own point of view. I will share them in “Practical Safety Tips in Spain (Part 2)”.

Forward this email to your relatives, friends and visitors. As you say in English: “prevention is better than cure”.

Your caring translator,

David

Credit image: Tjeerd Wiersma

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About David Ruiz

I'm a legal and registered professional relocation adviser fully devoted to solve your problems in Spain.