Be careful on the AP-7 Highway
Nov 6th 2018, 8:59 pm
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2018
Location: Portugal
Posts: 61
Be careful on the AP-7 Highway
I posted this last week in the Portugal section as I was travelling through Spain to Portugal.
For anyone using the AP-7 Autostrada between Barcelona and Valencia when travelling to the Algarve, please be aware! On Friday we parked up in a Service Station for a break and went inside for lunch. We sat so I could keep an eye on my car. I noticed a car manoeuvring strangely near my car, then I noticed someone duck down near the rear right wheel. Then they were gone. I went out and checked but could see no damage to the tyre or car. After a while we drove off and my Tyre pressure warning showed a loss of pressure to the rear right tyre. I kept going in the hope I could exit to a garage. No luck so I pulled on to the hard shoulder. Within 5 minutes, a very respectable and presentable gentleman stopped to offer assistance. I was suspicious as he was wearing his High Visibility jacket in the car. He then came to our passenger side and asked my wife to step out the car. I said no as I had read about this scam on the internet. They get you out the car and an accomplice ( hidden in the other car) sneaks out and opens the drivers door to steal your valuables. We told him to go away which he duly did ( with his tailgate still open to hide the number plate).
Upon examining the tyre it had been punctured by a knife.
It seems to happen a lot on this stretch of the highway so please be warned. In future one of us will stay with the car at all times.
For anyone using the AP-7 Autostrada between Barcelona and Valencia when travelling to the Algarve, please be aware! On Friday we parked up in a Service Station for a break and went inside for lunch. We sat so I could keep an eye on my car. I noticed a car manoeuvring strangely near my car, then I noticed someone duck down near the rear right wheel. Then they were gone. I went out and checked but could see no damage to the tyre or car. After a while we drove off and my Tyre pressure warning showed a loss of pressure to the rear right tyre. I kept going in the hope I could exit to a garage. No luck so I pulled on to the hard shoulder. Within 5 minutes, a very respectable and presentable gentleman stopped to offer assistance. I was suspicious as he was wearing his High Visibility jacket in the car. He then came to our passenger side and asked my wife to step out the car. I said no as I had read about this scam on the internet. They get you out the car and an accomplice ( hidden in the other car) sneaks out and opens the drivers door to steal your valuables. We told him to go away which he duly did ( with his tailgate still open to hide the number plate).
Upon examining the tyre it had been punctured by a knife.
It seems to happen a lot on this stretch of the highway so please be warned. In future one of us will stay with the car at all times.
Nov 6th 2018, 10:08 pm
#2
MODERATOR
Joined: Mar 2007
Location: Costa Valencia
Posts: 14,800
Re: Be careful on the AP-7 Highway
Four alleged members of a group that were being held by police officers arrested to steal drivers, mostly tourists, who were traveling along the AP-7 motorway, always from the Valencian Community and the French border while they were at the service areas.
The Mossos d'Esquadra de Catalunya who arrested them, report that the arrests took place on the 4th and that all the arrested are accused of two violent robbery crimes, two with force, one of injuries, three of usurpation of public functions and other three against the security of the traffic. The police had knowledge of the assaults since August 18 and kept a search open to identify the group of criminals that acted while the victims slept inside their vehicles in the service areas of the freeway.
The above was in a Valencian paper so I have translated it on Google.
Rosemary
The Mossos d'Esquadra de Catalunya who arrested them, report that the arrests took place on the 4th and that all the arrested are accused of two violent robbery crimes, two with force, one of injuries, three of usurpation of public functions and other three against the security of the traffic. The police had knowledge of the assaults since August 18 and kept a search open to identify the group of criminals that acted while the victims slept inside their vehicles in the service areas of the freeway.
The above was in a Valencian paper so I have translated it on Google.
Rosemary
Nov 7th 2018, 4:26 am
#3
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Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 513
Re: Be careful on the AP-7 Highway
I had a similar experience on that stretch of road as well a couple of years ago. I was with my teenage daughter in a foreign registered car. When I stopped due to the puncture another car pulled up a very short time later. Two men offered to take my daughter to the next service station "because it is safer", they said, while I change the tyre. I'd already told her to lock all the doors when I got out to look at the wheel.
I still have nightmares about what would have happened had I been gullible enough to let them.
I still have nightmares about what would have happened had I been gullible enough to let them.
Nov 7th 2018, 7:47 am
#4
MODERATOR
Joined: Mar 2007
Location: Costa Valencia
Posts: 14,800
Re: Be careful on the AP-7 Highway
This has been going on for many years. When we drove down in 2006 we had heard of these types of events so took as many cautions as was possible. Our car was a LHD but on UK plates so we still felt quite vulnerable.
Rosemary
Rosemary
Nov 10th 2018, 7:28 am
#5
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Joined: Dec 2012
Location: Surrey and Marina Alta
Posts: 454
Re: Be careful on the AP-7 Highway
You always need to be vigilant , we do a UK Spain and vice versa trip once a year but avoid ever leaving the car unattended if possible except at a night stop where anything of value is removed and nothing is left on display.
We have had no problems so far and most people of course don't have problems, if you have a car with a tub of puncher solution do yourself a favour and get yourself a proper spare wheel, even if it takes up some of the boot space and familiarise yourself with the tools needed to change said wheel, ebay is a good source for those.
A friend of mine had the puncher trick played on him wile he was parked in the Spanish town where he lives twice in 2 weeks!, first time he parked, was away for 30mins, when he got back the front driver's side tyre was down, he went to the back to get the spare wheel putting his bag in the boot but leaving the boot open, when he had finished he went to the back and it was all gone.
Next time was two weeks later, he had parked in the main street as there many more people about, got back to his car, closed the door then someone came to the passenger side and was tapping on the window pointing to his tyre, at the same time a car pulled up alongside him but just back a little to allow him out the car, he was of course well primed for this and simpley put the locks on and started to make a phone call, the guy jumped in the car alongside and off they went empty handed.
He didn't get out and just drove down the road to the tyre place with the flat tyre and had it replaced, they showed him the knife mark in the tyre.
We need to be vigilant all the time, be it on the road or at home, a sad state i know
We have had no problems so far and most people of course don't have problems, if you have a car with a tub of puncher solution do yourself a favour and get yourself a proper spare wheel, even if it takes up some of the boot space and familiarise yourself with the tools needed to change said wheel, ebay is a good source for those.
A friend of mine had the puncher trick played on him wile he was parked in the Spanish town where he lives twice in 2 weeks!, first time he parked, was away for 30mins, when he got back the front driver's side tyre was down, he went to the back to get the spare wheel putting his bag in the boot but leaving the boot open, when he had finished he went to the back and it was all gone.
Next time was two weeks later, he had parked in the main street as there many more people about, got back to his car, closed the door then someone came to the passenger side and was tapping on the window pointing to his tyre, at the same time a car pulled up alongside him but just back a little to allow him out the car, he was of course well primed for this and simpley put the locks on and started to make a phone call, the guy jumped in the car alongside and off they went empty handed.
He didn't get out and just drove down the road to the tyre place with the flat tyre and had it replaced, they showed him the knife mark in the tyre.
We need to be vigilant all the time, be it on the road or at home, a sad state i know
Nov 12th 2018, 8:30 am
#6
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2018
Location: Portugal
Posts: 61
Re: Be careful on the AP-7 Highway
An addition to this warning. If you break down on a Spanish highway and use the Emergency SOS Orange columns, please only use the GREEN button. Further down on the column you will often see a sticker with one or two numbers upon it. This is another scam. You will be charged as a Premium Rate International call at an extortionately high rate if you call the number. The number is 34902200320.
