Spain

Posted on: August 30, 2011 at 4:09PM

After planning a 40th anniversary trip to Barcelona for 4 months, after reading every crime warning we could access, we thought we were ready to "discover" the real Barcelona. ON DAY 8 WE DISCOVERED WE HAD BEEN ROBBED. In our rental car, we were victims of the "Flat Tire scam". The disappointment was not the loss, as much as the realization that the city seems powerless to stem the tourist crime in the city! The scam: Thieves spot a tourist in a car, puncture the tire on the car, as the driver gets out to check/fix the tire - your bags are stolen. I our case, the deception was a "good Samaritan" offering help - as an additional diversion. AVIS provided no verbal or transactional paperwork warning of the crimes even though an employee at the police station said the crime occurs more than 8 times/week. An AVIS agent explained that he previously warned customers verbally, but had stopped that practice. AVIS actually added insult to injury by charging well over $100 for the tire repair. The police required 3 separate visits to the station (8+hrs) to complete information for the report & still filed an incorrect report. While visiting the Consulate, to replace stolen passports, we filled out a standard pre-printed form that had a "Check Box" for the exact crime we experienced (same in the police station) - that's how common this robbery scam has become. My wife & I were well aware of the pick pocket warnings & prepared accordingly, but the Flat Tire Scam was a surprise. report a problem