jackytoo

In the 90's we lived overlooking a golf course. Our neighbour was shot dead by a druggie. It was early evening and the terrace doors were open, the druggie wandered in from the pool area. Security wouldn't have stopped that, you can't stay indoors all the time with the doors locked. He stole 1000 pesetas

Domino

alot of Spanish seem to

HBG

Some years ago now, at four in the morning, I was woken by the dogs and saw three people in our garden. I could only find an axe at the time which I had been using to trim down some trees the previous day.

When I confronted them, two immediately climbed back over the wall into the street, but the third one who was considerably older had trouble climbing up the wall.

I was furious as I came up behind him with the axe, but just stopped myself in time and pushed him over. The three of them stood in the street outside and kept thanking me.

I got to know them over the years, they were a Moroccan father and his two sons who are builders and are still used by the expat community.

I saw them only last night as I came back from Mercadona. The nasty Guardia Civil trafico had stopped their scruffy white van and were writing out a ticket for them.

Hino

+1 There are plenty of cheap, self install, intruder alarms on the market. I remember many years ago there was a warehouse fire ( Glasgow ? ), where many workers, mainly women, were trapped behind 'security' bars and died before help could reach them.

I'll never forget the photographs of them waving through the bars asking for help.

Beaverstate

I imagine that happens all over the world... people finding themselves doing (due to circumstances) what they never thought they would.

HBG

I've noticed recently that many expats are now using gyms, some quite elderly folk and many more than ever before. The gyms used to be the preserve of young Spanish bodybuilders, admiring their artificial muscles produced not only by lifting weights, but helped by a plethora of substances to grow the muscles quicker.

It makes me wonder what the elderly expats are training for? They're way past the showing off age, but they must be training hard for something.

I think it may be the fear of crime in a very noticeable recession. The lookie lookie men and beggars are no longer the friendly chaps of the past, they look hungrier and more aggressive than before.

Lynn R

I go to the gym regularly, but not to make me more able to tackle a burglar or a mugger! I think you're stretching a point rather too far here.

Far more likely to be that more people are taking notice of all the health advice that abounds these days about the benefits of exercise, with which I wholeheartedly agree.

HBG

I think you're right and it's a far more sensible reason than training up to tackle criminals, for all the good it would do anyway. If they're nasty enough and intent enough to tackle you physically, they will come prepared and all the muscles and Kung Fu tricks won't deter them.

And I know one couple who train because they've always trained, they were both in previous professions where it was necessary to keep fit and they just got into the habit, they're addicted to it - and look well on it.

Domino

as with the self install smoke alarms - OK if there is someone there to take action, if you live on the campo 5k from your nearest neighbour they will just roll over and go back to sleep if the can even hear it.

self install may be fine on a UK housing estate - until it develops a fault and wakes the neighbours and you end up in court for noise nuisance.
professional connections to call centre are fine - until the burglar cuts the telephone line, and if the mobile security guard is 25k away he will probably pass the van with your belongings going in the other direction
some people have it on their smart phone - but again useless if you are in Oslo and the house in Malaga.
Just remember many of todays thefts are not all by druggies looking for a few bits and pieces for their next score - they are by people who will want to make going out at night worth their while, and will strip a place. Giving information to friends and neighbours about your 3-4 weeks back in the UK could be the worst thing or the best thing. You never can know.

`

Dick Dasterdly

From the various tales of woe that get back to me I get the impression that houses fitted with obvious state of the art expensive alarm systems, far from being a deterrent are a major attraction to thieves.

scampicat

Oh me too! I'm glad to say our house only had one ground floor window, that was the only one with bars on. I would be paranoid about having a single storey house with bars all round, especially the fixed ones.

Fred James

All the current systems use GSM.

andyrich666

I suppose you can get mobile blockers too, but hopefully they are not that clued up

Rotor

Ive got one of these , expensive and 3g coverage is needed but it does give a certain amount of peace of mind SpyPoint SP-S-LIVE-3G Camera, can be hidden and even works in darkness.