billnsal

Hi there
Can anyone advise us please? My brother has a holiday home in Murcia. He bought this with his ex-wife and a few years ago they divorced and he got the Murcia home and contents and she got the one in the UK. He doesn't live in Murcia though and is himself in the UK, keeping the house in Murcia for his hols and other family to visit. He was last out there at the end of Sept/early Oct and yesterday got a call from a friend who had gone to the house to see it was OK...various things had been taken, no sign of break-in and a receipt in his ex wife's name (from when they were together) had been left there on the sideboard. This was not in the house when he was last there. She also left keys she had previously refused to return in the bathroom!! This could have happened any time between 7 Oct and 11 Nov. The ex is now back in the UK though we do know she has been abroad during October but not exactly where and when. However the evidence does point very strongly to her, not just with the receipt and keys but also with the things that have been taken. My brother is also here but visiting Spain next month. Does anyone know what he can do in a legal sense as surely a denuncia is pointless as the woman isn't in Spain and the UK legal system will presumably do nothing as the crime was in Spain? It would be great if anyone had any advice as we are completely baffled as to what to do and how to try and prevent this or something similar happening again (given the woman has a history of causing trouble). Thaks very much.

EsuriJohn

Change the locks!

Fredbargate

Without knowing the full facts may I sugest she has taken things that were personal or important to her and then left evidence to the fact she was there plus the keys to draw a line under her previous life and move on.

Rosemary

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Rosemary and Graham

Rosemary

I would be inclined to see this as a final act to prove that she had the right to her items and that she was not going to be deprived of them. Her leaving a receipt sounds like a sensible way of proving who has the items and the fact she left the keys seems to indicate that this is the last time that she will enter the house. Probably there are no legal ways of dealing with this situation as in the end any actions can end up costing far more than any goods taken. Changing the locks is an absolute must as far as I am concerned.

Rosemary

Alectryon

I had almost exactly the same thing happen to me in the UK. Leaving the keys is no guarantee that it will not happen again as copies can easily and cheaply be made. As said previously - change the locks and as annoying as it all is - move on.

Chiclanagir

Why not just write to her and ask if indeed she was in the house which would at least let you know that it was her and not somebody else that she had given the keys to. And yes change the locks.