Pickpockets in Tenerife - Advice

invictagunner

There is a lot of crime in the Los Americas area - mainly pickpockets, snatching handbags, general theft. Could I pass on some advice based on a true experience.
If you are a victim go to tourist information who will put you through to a central crime reporting operation. They will give you a crime number which you take to a police station to collect a formal crime report for your insurance company. This should work fine.
In my case, because I gave a description of the culprits, I received a phone call from the police the following day asking me to identify them from photos. If this happen politely decline for whatever reason you want to give. I was stupid enough to be helpful with the following results:-
1) I identified the culprits during a 2 hour visit to the police station
2) I then got a further call asking me to attend the local court
3) Attended court (took 3 hours) explained what happened - culprits admitted the crime, found guilty, and ordered to pay a fine of 3€ per day for 30 days and also pay me back what was stolen.
4) Had to attend the court again before I returned home to get a copy of the judgement and to provide bank details to get the money. Another hour wasted.
5) Returned home and surprise surprise heard nothing
6) Have sent 6 emails (which were read since I put a read acknowledgement on the message and received a reply) to the court (who specifically gave me the email address) and other official government agencies but have not had any response.
7) Have after one month put in an insurance claim to my travel insurance company.
8) Claim has been rejected since there is a court judgement in my favour to pay back the money
9) Now fighting the court and the insurance company!!!!

LESSON - SADLY DO NOT GET INVOLVED IN ANY REQUEST TO HELP THE POLICE CONVICT THE CULPRITS.

QUESTION - Has anyone in a similar situation had any money back?

robotrobo

invictagunner wrote: »

There is a lot of crime in the Los Americas area - mainly pickpockets, snatching handbags, general theft. Could I pass on some advice based on a true experience.
If you are a victim go to tourist information who will put you through to a central crime reporting operation. They will give you a crime number which you take to a police station to collect a formal crime report for your insurance company. This should work fine.
In my case, because I gave a description of the culprits, I received a phone call from the police the following day asking me to identify them from photos. If this happen politely decline for whatever reason you want to give. I was stupid enough to be helpful with the following results:-
1) I identified the culprits during a 2 hour visit to the police station
2) I then got a further call asking me to attend the local court
3) Attended court (took 3 hours) explained what happened - culprits admitted the crime, found guilty, and ordered to pay a fine of 3€ per day for 30 days and also pay me back what was stolen.
4) Had to attend the court again before I returned home to get a copy of the judgement and to provide bank details to get the money. Another hour wasted.
5) Returned home and surprise surprise heard nothing
6) Have sent 6 emails (which were read since I put a read acknowledgement on the message and received a reply) to the court (who specifically gave me the email address) and other official government agencies but have not had any response.
7) Have after one month put in an insurance claim to my travel insurance company.
8) Claim has been rejected since there is a court judgement in my favour to pay back the money
9) Now fighting the court and the insurance company!!!!

LESSON - SADLY DO NOT GET INVOLVED IN ANY REQUEST TO HELP THE POLICE CONVICT THE CULPRITS.

QUESTION - Has anyone in a similar situation had any money back?

WE caught a violent/rough bag snatcher running of the beach with a girls bag, he was running up the steps & I stopped / slowed his escape & other heavies jumped on him & a real struggle developed, the main man who tackled him on the floor was a burly Glasgow policeman who was on holiday , the struggle to hold him down on the prom was fairly long & he looked drug crazy , but he was dressed for the beach & looked like anyone else . We decided while he was on the deck that he would be going free as no one wanted to spoil there holidays at the police station, & the bikini clad girl got her bag back:)

invictagunner

From my experience a wise choice - well done for getting the girl's bag back.

hollydays

Why don't you ring them?