(Please find below the fourth in a new series of Adventurous Appetites’ Bite-sized blogs, designed to provide information and opinions that may be useful for visitors to Madrid.)
FIRSTLY, IF YOU SHOULD EVER NEED IT, THE EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBER IN SPAIN IS
112
Madrid is a VERY safe city and, as a general rule, it is absolutely fine to walk around or use the metro, even late at night (I am happy for my wife to walk home alone at 4am!). The city is always bustling so there are lots of people around and violent crime is NOT something you really need to worry about. HOWEVER, as in any big city, pickpockets do operate (often you may not even notice till it's too late) and some care must be taken.
In case you do get pickpocketed follow these steps:
Cancel your credit cards/block your phone immediately.
Check bins and doorways around the immediate vicinity. (Unfortunately it is unlikely, but if you are very lucky, some thieves remove the cash and cards and discard the wallet/purse/bag with other documents still in them).
REPORT THE THEFT TO THE POLICE - you will need to know when and where the incident took place (or have a good guess!)and have a list of all the stolen property, to file with the police.
REPORTING A THEFT IN MADRID
It is ESSENTIAL that you report any theft to the police and get a crime report as you will need this to recover any stolen property (unfortunately not very likely), get a replacement passport or to make any INSURANCE CLAIM
You can report a theft in most police stations but the BEST PLACE to do it is in the Police station in Calle Leganitos 19, 28004. Open 830am-10pm. Tel: +34 91 548 85 37 / +34 91 548 80 08. Nearest Metros: Santo Domingo or Plaza España.
Here they have a dedicated special Tourist Attention Service (SATE), which "assists victims of offences or infringements, in their own language, providing them with advice on the procedure and the handling of documents relating to the facts in question (cancelling of credit cards and documents, contact with embassies and consulates, communication with or location of relatives, etc.)".
You can report a theft online at this link but you need to print out the form and get it signed at the police station within 72hrs anyway, so we would recommend going directly to the station.
IF YOU STILL HAVE IT, YOU MUST TAKE YOUR ID/PASSPORT WITH YOU WHEN YOU FILE THE REPORT
LOST/STOLEN PASSPORT
If you lose or have your passport stolen, you again must file a Police report at the Police Station recommended above.
You will then need to contact your Consulate or Embassy to get a replacement or apply for an emergency travel document. Here is a list of contact details for all the Embassies/Consulates in Madrid
*****
A few tips to avoid pickpocketing (mostly common sense so hopefully not too patronising!!!):
Don’t carry wallets in back pockets.
Don’t leave phones on tables.
Carry bags and backpacks in front of you in busy areas and ensure all zips are closed.
Pay special attention particularly when getting on and off the metro/bus.
Distribute valuables around different pockets/places so if you are pickpocketed you don’t lose everything at once.
Beware of people asking you for directions with big maps.
In Spain LEGALLY you are expected to carry some form of government-issued ID with you at all times, and if you don’t, you can be fined. It therefore may be worth getting a CERTIFIED COPY to carry around rather than risk losing your passport and all the ensuing hassle.
Above all, though it is VERY annoying, and filing the report is time-consuming, DON'T let it spoil your visit. Madrid is a fantastic city and, if you are unlucky enough to fall victim to the pickpockets, we hope this advice helps, and that you can have a consolatory vino and get back to enjoying the capital as quickly as possible!!!
The opinions expressed in Adventurous Appetites’ bite-sized blogs are the subjective opinions of the author and are designed in all good faith to be helpful to the reader. The accuracy of any information shared cannot be guaranteed and neither the writer nor Adventurous Appetites Ltd accepts any responsibility for the veracity of such information, nor for any actions taken by the reader based on said information.
Commenti