This is my first post as we mainly live in Lagos when in the Algarve and not in England and have, from time to time, read this form finding it informative.
We have a rental in the Rua Do Cerro, Rua de Rafaiol area which was subjected to an attempted burglary over the weekend. They were thankfully disturbed as the door was thoroughly wrecked but they didn’t manage to break in. We have an alarm, but the GNR said that these types are not the usual jokers who think it funny to tip cans of paint in the pool , or open water cocks and hosepipes and other acts of vandalism. They are looking for rentals, empty houses or apartments and use ‘spotters’ who are out during the day posing as tourist looking for rental cars outside houses, people coming and going and easy targets for the rest of team to return when the house is empty. They obviously take a chance on breaking in and knowing how long the security company GNR take to respond.

GNR advise that if you have obliging cleaners, managers, people in the neighbourhood, then ask that they keep a look out for strangers in the day and also when leaving your house.

We were quite lucky, but I hope this message is able to offer some help to others in foiling these horrible types.

JJ

you say you feel lucky but still awful JJ, unfortunately crooks are everywhere

It was Wea beanz. Lucky for us we were here in the Algarve and were able to travel to Carvoeiro. The renters were distraught as they came back from dinner to find the door levered and destroyed.

Just scumbags JJ, the word karma springs to mind....

Interesting....we were advised that thieves don't tend to break-in when no-one is there these days: there's only TVs etc to steal, and they are cheap these days. Apparently they prefer to wait until the place is occupied & then take phones, wallets & credit cards : easier & more lucrative to sell on!