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Be careful if you drive on the AP-7 through Spain on the way to Portugal.

Be careful if you drive on the AP-7 through Spain on the way to Portugal.

Old Nov 4th 2018, 8:14 pm
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Default Be careful if you drive on the AP-7 through Spain on the way 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.
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Old Nov 4th 2018, 8:32 pm
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Default Re: Be careful if you drive on the AP-7 through Spain on the way to Portugal.

Which country’s plates was your car displaying?
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Old Nov 4th 2018, 8:33 pm
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Default Re: Be careful if you drive on the AP-7 through Spain on the way to Portugal.

Spanish plates.
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Old Nov 4th 2018, 8:34 pm
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Default Re: Be careful if you drive on the AP-7 through Spain on the way to Portugal.

Not just targeting foreigners then. Thanks for the warning.
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Old Nov 4th 2018, 8:36 pm
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Default Re: Be careful if you drive on the AP-7 through Spain on the way to Portugal.

Sorry, I misunderstood your question. My car has Swiss Plates.
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Old Nov 4th 2018, 8:42 pm
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Default Re: Be careful if you drive on the AP-7 through Spain on the way to Portugal.

Ah, so possibly are then. Valuable information.
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Old Nov 6th 2018, 1:59 pm
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Default Re: Be careful if you drive on the AP-7 through Spain on the way to Portugal.

I am sorry to hear this. This is not the first time and not the last time. We have several friends who live in that region and it happens too often. Also people who land on Reus airport and have a rental car.
Be careful and it is better not to stop.
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Old Nov 6th 2018, 2:10 pm
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Default Re: Be careful if you drive on the AP-7 through Spain on the way to Portugal.

Mitzi2012 you should also post this on the Spain Forum
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Old Nov 6th 2018, 2:11 pm
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Default Re: Be careful if you drive on the AP-7 through Spain on the way to Portugal.

Will do.
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Old Nov 6th 2018, 4:05 pm
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Default Re: Be careful if you drive on the AP-7 through Spain on the way to Portugal.

I just saw a newspaper article about this so I have used Google to translate it from Valencian for you so it is less than perfect but you will get the gist of it..

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.


Hope that this helps.

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Old Nov 12th 2018, 8:29 am
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Default Re: Be careful if you drive on the AP-7 through Spain on the way to Portugal.

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 a a Premium Rate International call at an extortionately high rate if you call the number. The number is 34902200320.
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