Denis Murray

Please find below a brief of a letter i sent to ADA.

At about 4.45pm on Thursday 10th June about fifty to sixty individuals arrived at the pool, which we overlook and behaved in a most disturbing and threatening manner, shouting, and throwing people into the pool with their cloths on. I asked them from my balcony to stop making such a disturbance and please be quiet. They then began to shout at my wife and me and chant in Spanish that they were Spaniards and they live here. They continued taunting for quite some time. At this stage I decided to take some photographs of their behaviour as evidence of the threatening behaviour. After about an hour the crowd dispersed. I went down to the car park to see where they were going...... I also noticed an extra 10 cars in the car park, which were not there any day before this. I sent a message to Steve Tipper, our President but unfortunately he was in the UK attending a funeral and he advised I ring you, which I did but you were closed at 5pm.

On Saturday 12th about thirty people arrived again. I went down stairs to photograph the car registration numbers and was accosted by one of the men who went to hit me so I went back to my apartment. I was very upset and angry. Next the Guardia Civil arrived and threatened to arrest me. It took my wife and I about half an hour to explain what had happened. I was being accused of committing some crime by taking photographs. I explained the photographs were evidence of threatening behaviour, which I wanted to show you but was told if I did not clear them from my phone I would be arrested. Hand cuffs were put up to my face. Of course with this threat I cleared the photos of the crowds chanting at us from my phone. The Guardia Civil then went away agreeing I had done nothing wrong. I now had to wait until Monday 13th to go to your offices to report what had happened us. Four days of distress.

The whole experience was very frightening and disturbing and really spoilt our holiday. We have been coming to our apartment for 5 years. We come at Christmas, Easter, June and August every year. We have in the past seen disruptive behaviour and thought the area needs greater security to stop people who do not live in the complex coming in to use the facilities. We pay for them but others abuse them. This is going to destroy the area, as no one would want to holiday under these conditions. Also at many times you cannot swim in the pool as it is used as a play-ground with footballs and inflatable toys. Impossible to have a swim.

We now feel completely threatened and don’t know if we will be comfortable in our own apartment. This is not why I bought the apartment and I feel as I pay the Community fees we deserve far better than this. Better security is required all year round. I would like to suggest we all pay a little extra to have full-time security at our apartments. I would also suggest that we install CCTV to identify the disturbances at the pool every year. The CCTV would even act as a deterrent. I further believe if we do not act the apartments will turn into slums or a ghetto and values will decrease greatly.

Is there any way we can get this security? Have others who live at the complex have similar problems? Who are these people who slandered my name to the Guardia Civil? I would like this issue addressed and those responsible taken to task. They cannot continue to get away with this type of intimidation. If they do it will only get worse and the whole complex will be totally destroyed.

spanish_lawyer

Sorry, what is Guardia Seville?. Guardia Civil?. I advice you when you observe these events, present a denuncia (report).

Denis Murray

Sorry it is possibly Guardia Civil maybe you can advice me on "denuncia"

Thank you

Denis

lynnxa

It definitely is Guardia Civil

a denuncia is simply a report of a crime to the police - anyone can make one - you go to the Guardia Civil to make it - if you can't speak Spanish you need an interpreter - some places will provide one

it sounds as if these people are trespassing (at the very least) - maybe if it happens again you should just dial 112 & get the police to come & sort it out

Denis Murray

Thank you.. Will ring 112 next time.

regards

Denis

chrismortley

Correct me if I'm wrong , if you dial 112 don't you get through to the Guardia Civil ?

lynnxa

yes - & they'll come out to you if there is a disturbance happening at the time

jackytoo

You shouldn't have to get into all the unpleasantness, the community Administrator and President should be taking care of trespass.

Happens in many communities especially if there are a lot of absentee, foreign owners. Most likely many of the people will be friends and relatives of people who work there, gardeners etc.

lynnxa

yes - agreed

however if the community president/admin isn't actually there at the time a call to 112 should sort it

chrismortley

Reading Dennis account of events again , it sounds like someone did ring 112

lynnxa

yeah - but not him

jackytoo

Yes, that's true, and whose side did they take

MikeJ

There was a related thread to this last year (see below).
We had a similar incident last year in M7 - but not as many or as aggressive.
Maybe you should invest in a Spanish football shirt (sorry to be flippant just lightening the mood )

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=628846

Lorna at Vicenza

Cloths or clothes?
Can imagine it must have been frightening. Hope it doesn't happen to you again.

olivia

Is it an offence to take pictures of anti social behaviour such as that?