Violent crime is still relatively low in Spain compared to countries such as the US or UK, however there is a worrying increase in organised crime, particularly along the Mediterranean coast. However the most prevalent crime that may affect residents is petty crime, often pick pocketing or bag stealing, although obviously not considered petty for the victim.

General common sense is needed, as anywhere, such as not carrying all money, cards and PIN numbers together, making sure homes are secure and not leaving valuable on show in cars.

Isolated houses in the country tend to be more at risk from robbery than those in more populated areas, mainly due to the lack of police presence in the area.

Many scams involve some sort of conversation, so it used to be sufficient to claim not to speak Spanish and you would be left alone. However, with the large number of tourists in the area, the scammers have got wise and picked up the essential phrases. A common scam takes place on the beach, where a nearby sunbather will engage your trust by asking you to keep any eye on their bag while they swim. Believing this person to be trustworthy, the unwitting victim asks the same person to return the favour, and when they return from the sea, their bags have disappeared, along with the friendly neighbour.

It is also important to be on guard in busy shopping areas where pickpockets will exploit the slightest opportunity to steal wallets, purses or bags.

Should you be unfortunate enough to fall victim to a crime, the main emergency number is 112, where you will be directed to the relevant emergency service.

You can also call the relevant emergency service direct using the following numbers:

National Police (to report a crime) 091

Local Police (for local issues, noise etc) 092

Ambulance 061

Guardia Civil (for issues outside the urban area) 062

Fire Service 080