Now we really do have to be on guard

[aspasia]

I've always made it a general policy not to report on every single burglary or robbery that I come across because this just creates an attitude of fear and does not do anything for Tenerife. My policy has been reinforced in my own mind as crime figures have risen, and I've restricted myself to generalized warnings of hotspots, or localized crimewaves. Now, however, there is no avoiding it.

The Canaries is suffering a "spectacular increase" in forced entry burglaries, with the figures from the Ministerio del Interior showing a rise in the first quarter of 2012 that is almost double the national average. This is a national problem, but like the crisis and unemployment, we are seeing the worst effects here, and the national rise of 22.3%, which is itself appalling as one quarter's figures, is 38.8% in Tenerife province. This is even worse in Las Palmas, where it's 44.4%, but the rise in Tenerife is the greatest - across the board for robberies, not just forced entry burglaries.

All we can do is protect ourselves as best as we can. Lock doors and, particularly now that summer's coming, keep windows closed or barred if open overnight. Be alert and vigilant when out and about, keep bags and personal belongings closed and under tight control, and I suppose, keep copies and records of relevant document numbers so that replacements can be acquired with the minimum of pain if the worst should happen. Above all, remember that these are things: don't try to defend your property when faced with violence. Your papers and belongings can be replaced. Your life can't.

[Perikles]

The trouble is, the information is of little value. A figure representing an unknown probability of being burgled goes up by 38% to another unknown, but larger figure. So what? It doesn't really mean that there should be increased vigilance, the advice is valid for any crime figure above zero..

[Janet]

Following directly on from the Ministerio del Interior statistics that I posted about in May, and which showed a "spectacular increase" in crime in these islands, security expert and Guardia Civil Lieutenant Colonel Ricardo Arranz has confirmed the tendency, and issued advice for the summer period.

LC Arranz was speaking on Canarias en la Onda, and said that although the Canaries are still, generally, a secure destination, there is no such thing as "absolute security". He explained that crime had most increased in terms of shoplifting (particularly in larger supermarkets) and domestic burglaries. Advising that simple precautions could often have the greatest impact, he recommended making sure mail doesn't pile up when leaving a property for more than one night, not closing all the blinds - a clear signal that a property is empty, and buying a  timer so that lights come on at different times, thus giving the impression that someone is at home. The LC went further, though, and added that even those at home need to be careful because many robberies take place during siesta hours when owners are asleep in their own properties. Statistics inthis particular respect, indeed, have gone through the roof, he said.

Finally, he stressed that we need to take care when at any public place to avoid being a victim of pickpockets, and not to leave anything valuable visible inside cars, even if locked, when leaving them - even if only for a few moments. Timely advice. JA

[Perikles]

'tis true. Yesterday I was having a shower and some bitch stole my underpants. Unbelievable.

[Delderek]

'tis true. Yesterday I was having a shower and some bitch stole my underpants. Unbelievable.

Think yourself lucky,,,hasn't happened to me for years

[Perikles]

Think yourself lucky,,,hasn't happened to me for years

There was a time when some bitch tearing my underpants off was vaguely exciting. I never could quite get used to it.  *sigh*

[Janet]

I originally posted in May about the "spectacular increase" in forced entry burglaries, with the figures from the Ministerio del Interior showing a rise in the first quarter of 2012 that was almost double the national average. Then in July, the tendency was confirmed and the police issued clear advice to be on guard. Now comes the news that the Canaries is suffering unprecedented crime, with forced entry home robberies going up 41% over 2012. Between January and September there were 3,143 such burglaries compared with 2,236 in the same period of 2011. The 41% rise in the Canaries compares with a rise of 24.5% on the mainland.

It will hardly be a consolation that the eastern Province of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, which covers Gran Canaria itself, and Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, is worse affected than the Tenerife province. It will hardly be a consolation either, I imagine, that the Ministry of the Interior says that the figures are the result of better record keeping: since they are national statistics, one supposes that they will be better kept across the country, and so the explanation cannot account for the discrepancy in the Canaries. The real reason is that we are suffering in these islands worse than anywhere else in Spain right now, and apart from any other economic factors, it means that our physical safety, and that of our belongings, is more at risk than ever before. I hate scaremongering, and am trying hard to keep such posts to a minimum, but we need to be aware ... and to be very careful indeed. JA

[Guanche]

It would be interesting to know how these crimes are broken down. What constitutes a 'Burglary' here and what constitutes a 'Robbery' and general 'Theft' Plus what is actually stolen. This information would give us a clearer picture of what is going on.
Simple common sense measures can drastically cut your chances of becoming a victim of crime.

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

Simple common sense measures can drastically cut your chances of becoming a victim of crime.

Agreed - it is all about deterrent and looking less attractive than some other place. 

[Perikles]

Is there any information about the kind of goods stolen and the amount of damage done? I can't imagine which possessions of mine could be of the remotest interest to a burglar, apart from a Lexmark printer ink cartridge which I don't want anyway.