Denuncia
 

Can someone please tell me how a denuncia works. Without going into reams of detail I have been denounced - I think. Last week I had a visit from the Guardia informing me this person had denounced me. They asked me for my passport number and asked for details of my side of the story - which I did. I asked me them what happens now and they replied "nothing". I was under the impression that they had to leave you a copy of the denuncia and that you had 14 days to formally reply to the denuncia at the police station. I did not have to sign anything and they left me no paperwork. I have asked around and people have told me that it sounds like the police are not taking it any further. Does anyone have any idea of what is/has happening/ed?

Re: Denuncia
 

It just means you have been naughty and been reported. ;-))
Sounds like whatever you did is not worth taking any further so relax.

Re: Denuncia
 

I have heard that when someone makes an unfounded denuncia that they can get into trouble for "wasting police time". I have done nothing wrong and hopefully the police took on board what I said. The person who denounced me is just wasting police time.

Re: Denuncia
 

My parents lived in Spain for 30 years. A denuncia can sound serious, but usually it doesn't amount to much. Basically, someone files a report because they are p****** off. Often locals do it against foreigners, but, again, it doesn't amount to much. Don't worry. However, if you start to get more visits from the police regarding the denuncia, I would contact a lawyer.

Re: Denuncia
 

It depends on what the denuncia is for and as to the seriousness of it, as many have reported most generally don't go very far.

I remember my sister had a drunk British apartment owner above her apartment, she lost 2 long term clients after a couple of months because of the guy. No talking to the guy did anything so I started talking to others who lived around him, everyone said he was a nuisance and made their weekends a misery. I won't go into all the details but it was basically very loud music through the early hours. One of the things he used to do was throw flower pots off his balcony at night to try and hit his girlfriend when she walked out, flower posts most people would barely be able to lift, imagine a small kid that might be passing... or anyone at all.
Anyway, I got a denuncia from the Police and went round those who complained he was a nuisance and guess what, not one Spanish person signed it: suddenly they changed their tune.... well maybe he isn't that bad!, maybe things will get better!..... the reason, they where scared to put their names to it because the guy just had to go to the police station and read the denuncia to find out who made it and others that signed it.

I finally made the denuncia with my name and 4 others, the others where 2 elderly Irish people who said they where not scared of him :) a wheelchair bound bloke who had him up to the hilt :) and a guy who lived in the house across from the apartment and got fed up having to look upwards every time he was outside. The denuncia did nothing, apparently the Police had also visited the place several times and said they where powerless to do any more. :frown:

Thankfully the guy sold the apartment about 8 months later. :)

Re: Denuncia
 

If you were denounced for building an illegal patio or something though they would be quick enought to act ;)

Re: Denuncia
 

Yes they would... sadly, my Spanish sister in law has a small plot between several villas and checked with the town hall as to the possibilities to build on it, she was told as long as she didn't do anything silly she should be given a permit. She started building before getting the permit and was stopped by denuncias as the wall supports went in. The area is surrounded by apartment blocks now, ones that where built before permissions where applied for and after she was stopped, yet they have all been allowed... but we all know why!

Re: Denuncia
 

Both quotes are deeply relationed. I've seen this one too many times. Police asking people to make denuncia, to step forward. Why people should take any risk if it is going to be pointless? Disgusting. The behaviour you mentioned qualifies as criminal offence (delito) and minor offence (falta) under Spanish Law. And the police is powerless to do any more. WTF. Does it work the ASBOS system in the UK? Giuliani's "zero tolerance" in NY was considered the main reason for the recent increase of quality of life in the city. Here, the left consider him as a near-fascist.

Re: Denuncia
 

Well Spain is a great country but it is certainly not "zero tolerance", here is another true story, I won't go into all the details but...:

Someone I know very well had 40,000 euros of investments sold from their bank holdings 2 and a half years ago. The monies where transferred at the max bank daily transfer of 6,000 euros to two Spanish bank accounts, 30,000 had been transferred before it was realised this was going on. The bank was alerted immediately and the victim made a denuncia on the two parties who had the bank accounts this money went to, one in Barcelona and the other in Madrid (yes, legit accounts and real people, one was even a company account), one of these transfers was the one and only made to one of the accounts, the others went to the second persons account. The one transfer of 6,000 was returned as it was stopped just as the bloke came in to withdraw the money but the 24,000 that went to the other account was all lost. :frown:

Whole thing goes to court, both middle men pleaded not guilty as they said they didn't realise passing these monies on and being paid 10% for doing so was illegal, the charge against the bank account holder who had 6,000 transferred to his account and was returned by the bank was fully discharged (basically the judge felt it wasn't worth persuing as the money was returned) :frown:, the second who had already moved the 24,000 from his bank account was not given any fine or sentance, he has no assets and has had past convictions for the same. So they are free to do the same again :frown:, I wonder how many others have had their monies filter through these blokes bank accounts in the last few months?

The case is now being pursued in a different direction but it took 26 months to get to the above stage, i.e. two third parties involved in a scam, caught red handed and let off scot free :eek:

The above is a classic example of why there are so many scams run in Spain... Personally I am all for "zero tolerance" here and anywhere else.

Re: Denuncia
 

If I remember correctly the British Government actually sent some politicians over to see how New York solved it's crime problems, after spending quite a bit of money on this they obviously decided to go in the opposite direction..... :rofl:

Re: Denuncia
 

Econ, I'll tell you another real one.

A friend's brother joined the Guardia Civil 10 years ago. He was a failure as student -as many of them are- and the Guardia Civil offers a paycheck for life. He was working at Galician coast, big problems with coke trafficking, as you know. Young, single, he loved his night out. Got hooked into coke abuse big style, and to finance it, he started dealing with the white stuff. When he and another guardia (they always work in couples for security and to avoid corruption:rofl:) arrested someone, they kept part of the coke found with them. Nobody else knew how much coke had the arrested person. It was not enough, so they decided to don't arrest traffickers on return of giving them coke. Good old fashioned Chicago 20's.

Everybody in the area knew what was happening here. Guardia Civil internal affairs decided that they were taking the piss "a little bit". They searched and found coke at his place. In any civilized country, he should be in prison with his job lost forever. We don't know exactly how, but he got just early retirement. 1.400 Euros month net, 30 years old, and he still can get another job. Officially, he is retired because is not mentally fit to work with guns, and his mental problems came due to the extreme stress he suffered, and the Guardia Civil should compensate that. What really happened is that they bought his silence, he was not the only one probably.

You have been a long time in Spain, you have to remember the glorious PSOE years with Luis Roldan and Mariano Rubio. Have you seen the film "Torrente"?

Re: Denuncia
 

Yes, it still makes me wonder in astonishment at Luis Roldan "BTW, released couple of months after Zapatero got in!", well he paid lightly considering no money was actually returned.... probably the amount of grease used on the palms... same old story. :frown:

BTW, a bit of useless info: I believe he was actually a civilian and not a Guardia officer... although I might be mistaken there.

I think Mariano Rubio has since passed away if I am not mistaken, anyway I never did trust banks :rofl:

I haven't actually see Torrente believe it or not, only the odd clip, always mean to try to get it out on DVD.

Re: Denuncia
 

I'm thinking of denouncing Mitzy for having that stupid dumbass ponytail on the back of his head!

Re: Denuncia
 

ahhhh .... join the queue

Re: Denuncia
 

Oops nearly didnt recognise you there! New colouring?