Just read this on the VW site I use, so I copied and pasted to warn folk. I hope it's in the right place.
Warning to those driving across europe
Just a friendly warning for those who may be driving across France and Spain.
My parents got back from driving across Spain and France yesterday and told me a story of what happened to them.
They were resting at a motorway services getting some food and something to drink. One of the waiters tried to catch my Dad's attention. Eventually he did and tried his best to explain that my Dad had a flat tyre. How ever this man spoke no English what so ever. My Dad assured him that the car was fine and he would sort it out.
My Dad has a pretty modern car where it lets you know tyre pressure and its the kind of system where you stick the goo in the tyre and your on your way again.
So he checked the pressure and was on his way. He checked it again just for safety before the slip road but the car was still fine.
2 Miles down the road... flat tyre. He pulls into the next lay by.
Gets all his stuff out of the boot (a fair amount from traveling) and begins to change the tyre. At that point 2 police cars came up to the car. 6 police men surrounded them. Instructing them to put everything back in the car and call a tow truck. My parents were very confused...
Reason being, there is a current crime wave sweeping Spain and other parts of europe. Whilst your car is parked up they will slash the inside of one of your tyres. They then follow you at a distance and offer assistance when you pull over. They rob you, rob the car and take everything. The waiter at the services had called the cops to warn them.
The police said foreign plates are being targeted due to likely hood of having a lot of goods with them eg Laptops, money, passports... They also said that the people doing this are very dangerous and violent.
Kind of scary...
Sorry if this has been brought up before or is old news. I just felt it worth mentioning.
Warning to those driving across europe
Just a friendly warning for those who may be driving across France and Spain.
My parents got back from driving across Spain and France yesterday and told me a story of what happened to them.
They were resting at a motorway services getting some food and something to drink. One of the waiters tried to catch my Dad's attention. Eventually he did and tried his best to explain that my Dad had a flat tyre. How ever this man spoke no English what so ever. My Dad assured him that the car was fine and he would sort it out.
My Dad has a pretty modern car where it lets you know tyre pressure and its the kind of system where you stick the goo in the tyre and your on your way again.
So he checked the pressure and was on his way. He checked it again just for safety before the slip road but the car was still fine.
2 Miles down the road... flat tyre. He pulls into the next lay by.
Gets all his stuff out of the boot (a fair amount from traveling) and begins to change the tyre. At that point 2 police cars came up to the car. 6 police men surrounded them. Instructing them to put everything back in the car and call a tow truck. My parents were very confused...
Reason being, there is a current crime wave sweeping Spain and other parts of europe. Whilst your car is parked up they will slash the inside of one of your tyres. They then follow you at a distance and offer assistance when you pull over. They rob you, rob the car and take everything. The waiter at the services had called the cops to warn them.
The police said foreign plates are being targeted due to likely hood of having a lot of goods with them eg Laptops, money, passports... They also said that the people doing this are very dangerous and violent.
Kind of scary...
Sorry if this has been brought up before or is old news. I just felt it worth mentioning.