Warning for Spain!
 

http://www.bmwgs.co.uk/templates/sub...n_minipost.gifPosted: Thu Feb 12, 2009 8:32 pm Post subject: If your going to Spainhttp://www.bmwgs.co.uk/templates/sub...icon_quote.gif this was posted on the XT web site...worth a read...
And was also posted on bmwgs.co.uk by dazzerrtw



I thought it was only about 10 years behind the rest of the world.
it seems we are more like dick turpins time
Just got this from a biker friend in Spain .
BE CAREFUL AT GUARDIA CIVIL CHECK POINTS

The other day, a senior police officer, Sr. Manuel Piedrabuena, told a police conference about a new activity of robbers on secondary roads.

This information comes from a good policeman who wants people throughout Spain to be aware of what is going on.
It seems that a gang, mainly Rumanian including people from Bulgaria and Poland, are disguising themselves as Guardia Civil, with similar uniforms, tri-corn hats, but non-standard pistols.

They even have cars similar to those of the Guardia Civil.

Because their disguise is not very effective in the light of day, they do their dirty work at night.

They wait until a car appears and stop it at the side of the road.

They say that they are checking for drink driving and the result of their test is always positive even if you have not been drinking. Naturally, most people will challenge this result and that is when their game starts.

They will tell you that perhaps the machine is not working properly but that they have another machine fixed in their car which will determine the result.



THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE LIE!



As soon as you get into their car they will rob you of everything, money, credit cards, mobile phone and whatever they find in your car. The big problem is that they can use your cards straight away and you can do nothing because they are in control.

The Guardia Civil NEVER ask you to leave your car and they NEVER ask you to take a breathe test in their car.
On some occasions they can be very, very violent.
Be very careful if you are stopped by the Guardia Civil on secondary roads; keep your mobile phone ready so that you can call the POLICE.
If you keep reporting this gang which is causing havoc we will break up the entire organisation and their numbers will be reduced.
We must all watch out and use the power of the internet and the public to fight this threat.
If we allow this gang to get away with it, all the other criminals will be headed for Spain.
SEND THIS MESSAGE TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS FOR THE BENEFIT

Fake police?!
 

I had a similar incident going through Madrid.

An unmarked 'police car' pulled along side me whilst driving the motorway through Madrid.

The passenger of the car flashed a police badge at me through the window and ordered me to pull off the motor way at the next exit.

Thinking the situation to be unusual I ignored the demand and the 'police car' buggered off. Had they been legit they would not have just left me to carry on without responding to their orders.

If you experience a similar request, be very suspicious. Overlanders traveling south through europe are known to be carrying cash and expensive gear. Consequently we are increasingly targets for cons.

Cheers

John

hoax
 

Hi all,This email has been circulating for about 5 years and the people mentioned do not exist. There is a very real danger that because of reading it, people will not stop at a legitimate checkpoint and please bear in mind that the police in Spain are armed.Here is an article that i read a few eeks back, which sprung to mind when i saw this posting.Costa News - Hoax email alert

Hi, I am not sure this is a hoax, but understand the danger of not stopping for a genuine police stop / officer.

I have a friend who has lived in Spain for many years, he warned me of this last year, he said around the Madrid area. I was travelling down from Picos De Europe to Cordoba thru the extremadura. I doubt he would have fed me a duff story as I travel with my daughter (three at the time) and wife.

He said that they normally have un-marked police cars and not to stop unless there is a "proper" car, i.e Green & White.

Either way, it is a bit of a worry.

Dan

Dan, do you not think that maybe your friend thinks its a real threat too? and just posting the "helpfull" advice like this threads author has done too?

It may be true, it may not, but if people start waving guns and shooting at me I'm going to pull over and stop!

G

Really? If people start waving guns and shooting at me I'm going to f**k off as fast as I possibly can; the last thing I would do is stop....

Hi,

Not sure if something got lost in translation here, but I am agreeing with the helpful advice by the author of this thread. :confused1: I think the advice I received from a friend was because it was seen as a possible threat.

I think if guns were waving I would struggle to decide on stopping or putting my foot to the floor!

I dont know what you guys drive, but my 2.5 ton land rover 90 is no contest for a car in Gardia Civil livery :(. Rather than get shot in transit, i would rather pull over. why risk it? they may be the real 5-0! Which was the point i made to Dan earlier. Lee posted a link saying that these rumours had been going around for years etc etc. Its entirely possible that its a hoax. How many times have you seen emails and posts that are just non-sense.

Too many.

We had no problems driving the length of Spain in our "standout" land rover 90 in the day or through darkness.

G

More information here. :thumbup1:

Tim

Thanks Tim and excellent research here. The info you give puts a different light on this thread. I hope people travelling to Spain read your info.:thumbup1:

I am sure that there have been incidents like this in the past, in every country in the world.

I think we should all, always be on our guard and watch for anything suspicious.

Even a hoax email gets our attention and sharpens the mind.

Lee

I´m spanish, I´ve been riding Spain for 20 years and It´s the first time y have heard that tale of fake Guardia Civil. I can´t believe anyone could disguise themselves like GC. The real GCs don´t make jokes at all. And no one could get away with it. The real way of robing people on our roads is provoking a little accident. When the car stops to see the damage and write all the insurance paper, the bad guys get everything they want, even being violent.

If you see a GC car, you´d better stop. We have serious problems with terrorists, police are aware of them so it could be very dangerous trying to runaway. They can mix you up.

Spain is still a very good place to ride. Sun, food and bends.

I remember something like this was happening in the Teesside area about 15 years ago. The scam involved a Ford Granada with a police sign in the back window, pulling motorists over for speeding and convincing the driver that new on-the-spot fines had been introduced. Personally, I wouldn't be stopping for an unmarked car at night, especially while driving through the middle of nowhere.

In Amsterdam there have been instances where fake police have stopped tourists to look into their bags "for drugs" and then taken valuables from their bags.

Isn't the bends bad for you?

I think the gist of this is to always be aware of who and whats around you. If you are riding alone and an unmarked car tries to pull you over then dont burn off at 100mph ride steadily and within the law and make your way to a lit area with some people around or better still pull up at the Police station this way they will know you are happy to be questioned.

Another point why would you be using the secondary roads after dark ?
If you are trying to progress through a place you may as well use the main roads at night. Personally after dark is for eating drinking and getting my head down.:scooter:

I had a similar situation in Brazil..

I was riding with 2 Americans and a Canadian couple at the time.

I was at the back and this unmarked car kept coming up beside me shouting "POLICIA POLICA" and waving me to pull over.

At traffic lights etc he kept saying that he was a police officer and that I should follow him..

I was tempted as you just cant be sure in some places of who is official and who's not..

In the end I just kept saying "no Falo Portuguesa" and kept riding. In the end, he got bored and peeled off.

Like people have said. Don't follow unmarked cars anywhere and don't go out of public view if you think its a bit dodgy.

I'm spanish and I think this is a fake. I have never heard about it.

You can drive by night as much as you want. This is a safe corner.:Beach:

+Guardia Civil are strict policemans but will not shoot you just because you didn't stopped. That doesn't means you don't have to stop, it's just that this is a normal place and sometimes it looks like you're talking about who knows what kind of banana republic.:rolleyes2:
Act the same way you'd do at home.


The only problem can be in big citys (inside or in the approach roads). If you're driving a car, a scooter can stop next to you and tell you that you have a puncture. They sometimes even ***** your tire. Then they stop with you as if they're going to help. When you get out of the car you open the doors and then they can take something and escape with the scooter.
Just "say thank's" to them and do not open the doors until they leave. + inside big citys with traffic jams I allways drive with the doors locked as I have allready seen a thief oppening a boot and stealing some bag.

http://zutabedecangas.files.wordpres...dia_civil6.jpg

Well said vander, good advice

It's more likely to happen in the UK...

BBC NEWS | England | Manchester | Fake officer steals car with baby

I'm not a fan of sending emails around of potential dangers though. Often the spammers want people to circulate their misinformation for them and sadly there are many who are only too willing / gullible.

There are dangers out there... everywhere. A few weeks ago a friend was held at gunpoint in a tesco metro in one of the Wealthiest towns in England. Should email warnings be sent out warning of potential armed robberies in Tesco? No!

Use common sense and best judgement. Better to lose a few belongings and a vehicle than be shot dead :rolleyes2:

Safety in Spain
 

Following on from the previous comments, particularly those of the Spanish members, I'd like to reassure travellers that this is not happening.
Guardia Civil are hard but fair and carry guns because it's the law here and not because they have a penchant for shooting people!
I have lived here for nearly five years and in that time have encountered nothing but civility from Guardia Civil. (Maybe that's where the name comes from):confused1:
Example: Long story short, recently stopped towing a trailer that was too big for the vehicle (illegal), with no number plate on (illegal), in my partners 4x4, with none of my papers (no ID, Illegal) by the Guardia. As my catalogue of errors was exposed, we ended up laughing, a 30 euro fine and a physical (yes literally) boot up the ass!:eek3:
I'd like to see that in the UK!
The Guardia are serious people, to be taken seriously and I would think the most life threatening thing possible would be to impersonate one. There are much easier ways to rob someone, which are infinitely less potentially life shortening.
If you are really in doubt about stopping or being stopped, just shout GASOLINERA (petrol station) and point ahead, then ride at a reasonable pace. Real Guardia will follow you there to stop in a well lit environment, they are not in the business of frightening people, only upholding the law.
Generally Guardia are only to be found in well-lit places, as it makes it easier for them to see your ID etc (they love Repsol petrol stations, if you're looking to avoid them. I think it's the equivalent of the "Wild Bean Cafe". Also they generally can't be arsed with the inconvenience of patrolling some back road in the middle of the night.
Hope this helps someone, there's bad people everywhere, but a bit of common sense will see you through, as always.
Happy travels!
Tim

Good
 

That's really amusing. I know someone who having visited Spain came back saying that she chatted to a policeman with a triangular hat. I think that's the Guardia Civil uniform. She mentioned the unusual style of hat. He replied that it enables them to lean against a wall dozing without the hat tipping up. Linzi.

Only if you put yourself under pressure whilst going around them...

Like the photo - GC stoppie!

I spent six weeks driving all over Spain in summer '08 and never had any interaction with the police or GC

A friend was don over in exactly this way near Madird last year.
He was driving a 4x4 with a trailer load of bikes for a tour he was helping with.
Got pulled off the main route onto a side road by an unmarked car with 4 men inside in uniforms. They made them get out of their vehicle to look for 'drugs', - found their trip kitty-Yes i know daft to have it about- but not expecting this it was in the glove box. ~Also got their wallets on the 'drugs' one. Made a quick exit leaving the two stunned and unable to get back on the main highway due to the slip road they were on.. he said it was pretty intimidating with 4 'uniformed' shouting at them...

Scare stories make people paranoid but if he had known about the possibilty of this scam then maybe he would have had less cash about!?

Got to drive my lorry down thru Spain soon so will let you know if i see them again !

I've done a fair bit of solo two wheeled travelling in Spain and have never had a problem with the Guardia Civil real or fake.

The only time I thought I had a problem was when two motorcycle mounted Guardia romped up the slip road and joined me. I slowed down and they sandwiched me for about 15 miles before the rear marker pulled alongside and gestured with a winding arm action and a big grin for me to open her up a bit and have some fun. I was on a ZZR1400 at the time so, with a thumbs up I obliged and accelerated into the distance. They never bothered to pursue me.

Later at a Repsol forecourt another Guardia approached and I thought it was going get interesting. Turns out he was just interested in the bike.

Like a previous poster said, "night time in Spain is for eating drinking and getting your head down" the back roads are best enjoyed in daylight when you can appreciate them.

Has no-one ever been tempted to take a surprise pop at roadside bandits in Spain?

hi all,

i've just come across this here but been sent this email by friends. I'm half spanish and have lived in southern spain for eight years.

I know of personal experiences whereby friends have been stopped by fake civil guards on secondary roads outside of Madrid whereby everything valuable was taken, i know of two friends and colleagues this has happened to. So it has happend and it was even mentioned on spanish tv.

However, as far as the Guardia Civil go they DO ask you to get out of the car and you SHOULD comply if they request you to do so. I live not far from Gibraltar and I've been stopped no fewer than 3 times by the civil guard on my 13 mile trip to work. This area of Cadiz is a transient point of hashis runs and illegal immigrants so these road blocks can appear quiet frequently. Also, if a particular area is suffering from robberies, street racing or any other illegal activity then the civil guard get drafted in and set up road blocks everywhere.

You don't want to get on the wrong side of these fellows, generally now very professional and curteous unlike the Franco days, I think they do a good job on stamping down on things. I would agree that should you feel uncomfortable stopping where they suggest then pull over at the next REPSOL or town but generally they'll only pull you over in laybys like that anyway.

First at all, a lot of Guardia Civiles are bikers themselves and ride BMW R80. They are serious and they know the risks every biker has to deal. But they also know the risks some of us are spreading on the roads. Is their job. We usually ride too much self confident taking decisions fast wich put our goals over the too much strict and stupid traffic rules. I had to deal with irish, american, african and spanish policemen. I hate all of them because i ride fast (not crazy), but with the spanish ones you can explain your point of wiew and sometimes they can balance all the facts. Forget about with americans: rule is rule. And with most of africans, the solution is just in your wallet. My advise in Spain is respect them and look deep into your responsability. Probably they are right. Your advantage as foraigners is you are not going to loose the driver license, just paying a fine you should get a receipt.

And about the robbery, it´s a fake. If the Guardia Civil stops you, you will know inmediatly they are the Guardia Civil. And if you have any problem with the bike, be sure they are not going to let you down on the road. They are good workers, but I hate all of them. I lost some time ago my driver licence because they are too good. I got it back because I am very bold, but that is another story.

Spanish Guardia Civil and current report on Spain
 

Life is good on the northern coast of Spain. We have a beachfront in a pueblo near La Coruña, Galicia.

Yep, you probably guessed correctly, topless is very much in vogue here...

We live in Buenos aires and arrived in Spain a month ago, after our 2 month 7000 K ride ... Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Mendosa, the Lake District, Bariloche, Santa Rosa, and back to Buenos Aires. I don't know which was more exhausting, that 7000 K or sunbathing on the beach here?

On the other breast, er....ah, hand.... Here in Spain we drive a (4 wheeler) somewhere almost every day and are leaving for Madrid Saturday. This is my 5th trip to Spain, driven north to south...east to west and never, never had a problem with the Guardia Civil, or anyone pretending to be the Guardia Civil... The real Guardia Civil seem to be well trained, serious about their work, helpful and very well respected here.

But, I will report in next week regarding our drive to Madrid. After Argentina and 5 other SA countries, driving in Spain is like a walk in the park. Drivers are polite in comparison.

I have met a few bikers here, mostly riding big BMWs or very big motor scooters ???, with full rally suits and boots, tail boxes and generally doing no more than 100 K on pristine asphalt on Sundays, but man have they got the gear. They are ready for anything. Sort of big fish in a small pond situation. I have noticed that most of them ride way way to fast.

Thanks for the heads up on the back roads approaching Madrid. Ride free xfiltrate


PS: I asked Elisa's uncle who was a Spanish "cold war player" about the triangular hats of the Guardia Civil, and he explained that originally they were designed as phycological warfare to instill fear in the population ??? but, today they are mostly for use in parades and the Guardia use head gear more appropriate for the streets today.

Update from Spain
 

We drove from Galicia (A Coruña) to Madrid without incident. Only saw routine police activity.... and ZERO fake police. We are doing back roads out of Madrid for return to Galicia..... will post with updates. xfiltrate