Alicante Car Hire warning

nico26

Took this article from the Costa Blanca news. This has been going on for a while but there seems a new twist as a few people have been commenting on the article saying the thieves are lying in wait for them at there destination. Information must be geting passed from some dubious people to the crooks. In future I will not be giving the correct address of where I am staying to anyone at the airport.


THE NUMBER of thefts both inside and outside of Alicante Airport is rising at an alarming rate say passengers who have been victims of thieves either as they arrive or when they depart.
Following a warning from the British Consulate over the rise in luggage thefts at the airport, Costa Blanca News has received an increasing number of calls from people who have fallen victim to the thieves.
One couple told us they were very aware of the dangers when picking up hire cars from the airport so they were particularly alert to the situation.
They said that after leaving the airport they constantly checked to ensure they were not being followed, but as they arrived at their destination the thieves were waiting for them and as soon as they turned their backs their luggage was stolen.
The couple said they definitely were not followed from the airport and believe the thieves had been given their address by someone, enabling them to lie in wait for their arrival.

PolishBigSpender

Wouldn't be surprising, Spain is absolutely dreadful for this type of crime.

I'd recommend that people do not let their personal property stray from their eyesight for even a moment. Such petty crime is rife throughout the world, sadly.

(having said this, I'd quite happily leave my possessions unattended in Saudi Arabia or Singapore... - it's quite normal for shops to be left unlocked and unattended in Saudi when people go to prayer (due to draconian punishments if people do steal - including hands being cut off!), and Singapore is such that anyone caught stealing could very well face lashings.

Teahfc

Happens in most countries just a little worse in Spain at moment.
it was rife in Italy ...Atlanta JFK and LAX have all had it big time.

Keep your eyes peeled no matter where you are.

I live in Murcia in the winter for several weeks at a time and the Romanians,Moldovans and Russian m4fias run all these scams ..everyone knows but in Spain .... mañana :beer:

Inactive

More likely what has happened is a team of crooks watch the Alicante Car Park, ring the details of hire cars leaving the car park through to their other teams that are waiting near the M.Way exits at Benidorm.

Be assured, these will not be Spanish Nationals doing this.