Anyone planning to visit Barcelona...?
If you are, then think carefully. Our advice is 'Don't'. We have just been robbed of our cameras, wallet, credit and debit cards, mobile phone and car keys.
We have heard so many tales over the years about thefts in Spain and lack of police interest so we are careful. But not careful enough it would seem. We were in the centre of an IBIS hotel restaurant. My husband had his day sack under the table with his foot through the arm straps. The thief bent down, grabbed the bag and assaulted my husband before running off with it to a waiting car. What was even more infuriating was that absolutely no-one did anything to stop the thief.
The police would only register the theft if we visited the local police station 10 miles away from where we were staying and even then they were not interested. It just seems a formality to register the theft even though we had the registration number of the car the thief escaped in with his accomplice as well as CCTV camera shots of him.
We usually visit Spain every winter but have just cancelled for this coming season. We have no intention of supporting the Spanish economy until the police show that they are willing to tackle this problem of robbing foreigners which seems to be so rife.