Nicki1980

Hi, my husband and I are thinking about relocating to Spain in the Murcia region, my father built a house in the country which is semi detached, the neighbors are Spanish but don't live there permanently and 5 mins down the road in view from the house is a little community of about 7 houses English ex pats I believe. My questions and worry is about break ins and robberys? I hear this is a common occurrence? I would like to raise a family there but I am concerned about the safety, I like nice things but would this just lure burglars? And what if I was left alone would I be hurt in my own home? I don't know whether I am being over the top or if these are legitimate concerns? Can anyone give me some advice please

Rosemary

Hi and a warm welcome to the Spanish forum on BE. Myself and Fred James are the moderators for the Spanish forums whilst BEVS moderates Europe. Moderators are there to ensure that the site runs smoothly within the rules of BE. This is so that members gain the information that they are looking for and find their experiences on the forums to be friendly and worthwhile.

Problems and complaints should always be addressed to a moderator who will look into the matter and deal with it efficiently and fairly. Our members who post in the Spain Forums are usually friendly and helpful with a wealth of knowledge about the issues of living in Spain. I hope that you enjoy your time participating in the forums.

Please let me know if you need any further help.

Rosemary

amideislas

I don't know (if?) where you live in the UK, but there are no lack of places in the UK where you need to keep things pretty well bolted up at all times.

I also can't speak for Murcia, but I live in a rural area of Mallorca, and although we do lock the doors when we're going to be out for any extended period of time, it's really just a precautionary measure, because things like break-ins, or any kind of crime really, are all but unheard of here.

scrubbedexpat095

There are probably more burglaries in rural areas of Spain and France than there are in the rural areas of the UK but I think that's just because there is more space in France or Spain, originally I was going to reply that your fears are not justified but on reflexion maybe they are.

Just make sure you have really good alarms and doors/windows that can't be used to access the house i.e Bars on windows and doors that are not easily broken down and you should be OK

cricketman

The UK has the highest burglary rate in the world

Spain has one of the lowest

But, that is partly due to the fact that most Spaniards live in secure flats. Isolated houses are targeted by Eastern European gangs in the South of the country

My biggest Q is why you would want to raise a family in an isolated house in Murcia. Sounds depressing!

A village, town or city would be a much more exciting area to bring up a small family especially if you could find a house on the edge of town. Children have so much freedom and fun in the small towns, especially in the summer when they can be out playing until past midnight

Keith1963

A google check reveals the usual advice' and also reveals Spain in recent years as having the lowest crime rate in the EU. Also be mindful that regards burglary they record almost every building as a burglary when reported inc store rooms and even small stores on farms and houses. In the UK they are recorded as theft (from ) in Spain it is not. This increases the figures hugely. And the density of population will see a crime increase. Please don't mix up burglary and robbery. A Robbery is generally an act of theft with violence ( street crime as an example ) you can't be robbed in your home. Even in Spain ;-) that's aggravated burglary which is so rare in Spain compared to the UK. However a spate of burglaries can be off putting, no matter where it is. But for me, if I was to choose then Spain is safer. Where we are we never see brawling youths intoxicated at 6 o clock at night, no threat of assault in bars and generally a safer environment. I see family groups out eating and enjoying each other's company - Yes it can change, but lets be honest, our interest in Spain is because of many things, not just the fear of crime, which I genuinely believe can be reduced with a little research.

Moses2013

Spain has less break-ins for many reasons. Because many properties are holiday homes and people just have less, it's not worth the effort and the few break-ins that happen are never reported. Countries like Switzerland/Denmark would see far more break-ins, because people have more to steal, so every break-in is reported.

missile

To my observation most thefts, robberies and anti-social behaviour appear to occur where the ex pats live.

Nicki1980

I wouldn't have picked a rural area myself however my father bought the land many years ago and built a beautiful traditional looking Spanish style house on it as a hobby/project sadly last year he passed away and left the property to me, it's been on the market for 2 years but I don't think it's saleable as its not finished and up a dirt track with no electricity however other people do live there and it's 20 mins from a village. My uncle lives in Marazzon and has lived in Spain for 30 years and I'm getting sick of the weather in the uk so thought why not finish the house and move out permanently however I've read on line that people have been burgled numerous times and some banditos have even gassed people in their sleep and bound and gagged to steal which sounds terrifying obviously! I would only move to have a better life so I would want a bigger house with nice things inside and landscaped gardens with a nice big pool but we might stick out like a sore thumb and be a big target for theft?

missile

Take appropriate precautions and don't live in fear. You are more likely to be killed in a road traffic accident.

Moses2013

It can happen everywhere, but again depends on the area and you can find scum everywhere. If you don't like the area, why bother moving there? Rather than spending loads of money to renovate, you might be better off buying a new place in a different area and just give the property away at a very low price.

rspltd

Before worrying about whether you would be safe, worry about how you would live and what you would exist on. Spain is not like the UK with loads of benefits etc. Do you have a flair for languages or did you at school? If not one of the first things you need to do is learn Spanish. How you run a house without electricity is the least of your problems. The advice from Moses seems helpful.

Dick Dasterdly

Thieving is common in rural areas and the farmers in particular suffer a lot with even truckloads of produce disappearing in the night as well as valuable equipment which is either sold on or weighed in for scrap.
It shouldn't be a problem having a nice garden, but I would advise against having expensive garden ornaments on open display or a brand new Merc in the driveway.
Most Spanish in rural areas have a very secure outer fence and a huge evil looking dog running around the place, but they can be a nuisance if they're inclined to excessive barking through the night as many are.
No doubt there are a variety of other precautions you can take, but it's difficult to advise without seeing the precise location.
I live with peace of mind in such a quiet spot myself, though security precautions begin outside the outer perimeter with a thick row of vicious looking cacti. I won't go into the rest as they might not be regarded as appropriate under Spanish elf and safety regulations.

casa del sol

Good point, also in the villages everyone knows everyone, there are often grills on the windows and many of the roads are pedestrianised only, not as if anyone can drive a car up load up and drive off. An old sofa, a box TV, microwave and table and chairs, hardly worth the risk.

amideislas

My observation as well.