Date Published: 25/03/2020
ARCHIVED - Police warn against increased robberies in holiday areas
ARCHIVED ARTICLE Criminal activity generally has fallen since the lockdown began
The level of crime reported in the streets of not only the Region of Murcia but also across Spain has fallen, due to three principal factors:
- More police and the army in the streets
- Criminals are themselves concerned about catching the virus
- There are less potential victims in the streets
The operative director of the Guardia Civil, Laurentino Ceña, has stated that reported crimes have fallen by more than 50% since the beginning of the lockdown period, with a 60% decrease in the number of apprehensions made.
However, there are new areas of concern, principally the increased level of cybercrime and residents are being urged to pay particular attention to emails being sent purporting to be from banks or financial institutions and attempting to gain passwords or personal details, so be extremely careful about clicking on any of these links or replying to this type of email: mark them as spam and delete.
The police are also warning that properties in outlying areas, the countryside or in coastal or residential areas which are normally occupied during the summer months and are generally fairly empty for the remainder of the year are particularly vulnerable to theft.
Reports have already been received of increased break-ins in summer residential areas and on resorts, and it is hoped that the increased numbers of agents and military personnel in the streets enforcing the lockdown will help to deter these thieves.
Residents living in these areas should be vigilant and should any unusual activity be detected, notify the police immediately.
However, there is also concern about a potential increase in domestic violence and sexual abuse due to families being in close confinement .
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