Just a warning to all residents and holiday makers in the Algarve.
We were at the beach for 1.5 hrs yesterday afternoon, near the Albacora Hotel, in Tavira and when we got back to the car, we found that my handbag, which had been put under the front seat, had gone! Some kind person/s had broken into the car and taken the bag. We went to GNR in Tavira and as we went in, a couple came out who had also experienced this in Cacella.
So all just be very careful during the holiday months.
Chris

Sorry to hear that Chris

Thank you.

Be careful at night when you walk through the streets as there are a lot of people around at the various entertainment venues
Joao

Not a very pleasant experience is it. We had the same happen to us on our first family visit to the Silver Coast in June, when we visited Peniche. The police kindly informed us after the theft that the thieves wait for the hire cars to park up at the beach before snatching what they can from the car.
It's a pity that there are not some warning signs just to remind you not to leave any valuables in the car, we literally had our backs turned for no more than 2 minutes whilst we checked out the suitability for the children on the beach and it was literally a lapse in concentration getting children out of the car before we realised the rucksack was in the boot.
The last time it happened to me was on the Algarve 16 years ago! :curse:

makes you wonder why they dont do honey pots?

over the past few years the eastern europs were getting the blame

Lost my wallet at a service station a few months past with cash and credit cards inside....two days later got a call from Portimao police to tell me they had my wallet...went down and they told me a gentleman fro the area had handed it in....cash and credit cards still intact...so not all doom and gloom

Same happened to very elderly and doddery visitors of ours who had a tendency to get a bit plastered!!
In Tavira centre they lost a wallet containing credit cards, passports and some nice gold jewelry put in there for safe keeping The next day they were due to go to the airport. They decided to go to the airport for their flight even without their passports because "we're British and we're flying British Airways, I'm sure they'll let us on", Of course, they wouldn't and they were directed in a taxi to Portimao to get a replacement. Meanwhile the police came to our house with the wallet with everything in it which someone had handed in. We were able to ring the Embassy to be told that they had gone "for lunch" with the taxi driver and were coming back later. The embassy said they would tell them to get to the airport and we would meet them there with the wallet. We were amused to find them both waiting in their wheelchairs with a massive G&T each and not a bit phased by having to get the next British Airways flight back to London!

Anna58, your visitors sound absolutely brilliant, what a great story. . . glad it turned out well for them. Loved the bit about the embassy telling you they were at lunch with the taxi driver.

Saz1

Hmm I was mugged in Luz by someone on a motorbike back in 1989 at the tender age of 15, wasn't a pleasant experience. My MIL also had her bag snatched on rua da praia in luz as she came out of the supermarket about 2 years ago, by someone in a car.

The biggest mistake I made though was in Spain, I wasn't feeling well so stopped at a cafe for a drink. My friend put her bag down on a chair next to me and went to get the drinks, when a bloke came up to me and asked for a light. I was busy telling him I didn't smoke and had no lighter when his mate was busy nicking my mates bag with her passport, designer shades, glasses and all her worldly goods in it (it was a big bag LOL). She wasn't too impressed with me to say the least but it was nicked from right under my nose, they will do anything to distract you. Never wear a rucksack, always have a bag with a zip and use it with a shoulder strap and with the bag round the front of you.

G

We were told about this last week and it is now in the Portuguese news, PT. pro golfer and his caddy were attacked, stabbed and robbed outside the Vila Gale hotel in Tavira last Saturday morning as they were going to their car.

Haven't heard about this one. It does not sound good.
Joao

Haven't got time to look,but here is this weeks edition if anyone wants to find it and read about it
http://www.the-news.net/

Unfortunatly this aint just an Algarve problem, worse than having your car broken into... car jacking is a real concern here in the North...be it Porto or small villages. Depending on the type of criminal, they may be just after a handbag,wallet etc or if your driving something half decent you may be targeted for your car The junkies seem to be using knifes but the criminal gangs are using guns

Doors locked and dont open your window for beggers at traffic lights etc no handbags on seats, run the bastards over if you get the chance...but hand everything over if your life is in danger!(just my opinion)

According to the eco gurus this will happen more and more over the recession , a worrying trend.

Tavvy has imo been immune to the crime seen regularly elsewhere.I was not on the constant look out for the nefarious looking person or group , I know having spent many years in rougher escocia what I am looking for..... tav is , or was the only place I have felt I didn't have to have my radar on.

Since the 80s I had always in glasgow had my doors secured at traffic lights.Long before it was news that it became an ideal point for those criminally minded to "jack" , to use an americanism "a persons car" , or to just grab a bag from inside the car and then run.

I now see why the portu cabbie has on some occasions a pistol in his cab , shoot the ****** and then the police can actually catch them.I know it sounds a little harsh to some , but more die at the hands of petty crime than you think , or "merely" suffer for the rest of thier life scared of anything more than a fly's fart.

IF this happened at vila gale Its right under the police noses , the station is only a coupe of hundred yards away....unless they have moved up to the new one at the velha roundie.

hope the guy is ok