# How do you report a burglary?



## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Some friends have just returned here from the UK to find that their house had been burgled. Does anyone know the best way to report this? Their Spanish isn't good but I have offered to help them.

I went to the GC with them this morning but as soon as we arrived they were called out on an emergency and couldn't speak to us, they asked us to come back tomorrow and make a denuncia. The Policia Local was deserted (busy putting up no-parking posters for the Cabalgada tonight).

I understand you can make a denuncia online to the Policia Nacional and then go to the nearest Comisaria within 48 hours with the reference number to sign it. Has anyone done this? Did they follow up by taking fingerprints etc? Or do they just assume you'll claim on insurance and not bother?


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## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

Alcalaina said:


> Some friends have just returned here from the UK to find that their house had been burgled. Does anyone know the best way to report this? Their Spanish isn't good but I have offered to help them.
> 
> I went to the GC with them this morning but as soon as we arrived they were called out on an emergency and couldn't speak to us, they asked us to come back tomorrow and make a denuncia. The Policia Local was deserted (busy putting up no-parking posters for the Cabalgada tonight).
> 
> I understand you can make a denuncia online to the Policia Nacional and then go to the nearest Comisaria within 48 hours with the reference number to sign it. Has anyone done this? Did they follow up by taking fingerprints etc? Or do they just assume you'll claim on insurance and not bother?


 Hi Alcalaina. Sorry to hear about your friends sad return home. Here is some info on how to do this by phone. This is for tourists, but surely they can give you the # for residents:

Página oficial de la DGP-Denuncias Comisaría


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

I haven't heard of being able to do it online, but you certainly can by telephone, and Larryzx posted this information in the recent Car Theft thread about how to do it:-

"It is possible to call 902 102 112 between 9 am and 9 pm daily., and give the details. When requested to do so press (I think it is 2) for English, or other buttons for French, Italian or German,. The last two are available 9 am until 3 pm. 

Give details of the crime, then elect a National Police Station, any one any where (But only National Police not Guardia, they are not on that system) where within 48 hours you will make the report by signing it (the info you provided on the phone is used to make the report). If you do not sign it then no report exists. 

Before you sign, check as best you can that the Spanish translation is correct, they are very often seriously wrong. 

You will get a copy, which the Insurance Company, Consult etc. will need to see."

They will have to provide details of all the stolen items with approximate values, so they need to make a list first.

I have made a denuncia for burglary once for myself, and also called the Policia Nacional on behalf of a neighbour who'd been burgled, and both times they sent scientifico officers out who checked, very thoroughly, for fingerprints, etc - although they seldom find any as the thieves are not usually that daft.

If they realise that any additional items are missing after the initial denuncia has been made (I did, you don't always notice at first everything that has gone, probably due to the shock) it is possible to have it amended at a later date.


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## Pokerface (Dec 22, 2014)

Sorry to hear bad news! I recently had to make a police report for a crime committed against me. 
The Police asked if I needed an interpreter, who visits the station on certain days, to help us foreigners. I believe most police stations offer a similar service.
Can´t say I´ve heard of doing so online. Not sure how this works as the report needs signing?


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Alcalaina said:


> Some friends have just returned here from the UK to find that their house had been burgled. Does anyone know the best way to report this? Their Spanish isn't good but I have offered to help them.
> 
> I went to the GC with them this morning but as soon as we arrived they were called out on an emergency and couldn't speak to us, they asked us to come back tomorrow and make a denuncia. The Policia Local was deserted (busy putting up no-parking posters for the Cabalgada tonight).
> 
> I understand you can make a denuncia online to the Policia Nacional and then go to the nearest Comisaria within 48 hours with the reference number to sign it. Has anyone done this? Did they follow up by taking fingerprints etc? Or do they just assume you'll claim on insurance and not bother?


When I had to do it, all we needed to do was to make a denuncia via the *National Police*.

You will have to do this is Spanish and be able to understand it so that it can be signed. If you aren't up to that, take an interpreter/translator.

We certainly didn't have to have it signed by a comisaria.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

snikpoh said:


> When I had to do it, all we needed to do was to make a denuncia via the *National Police*.
> 
> You will have to do this is Spanish and be able to understand it so that it can be signed. If you aren't up to that, take an interpreter/translator.
> 
> We certainly didn't have to have it signed by a comisaria.


If you go to the Policia Nacional and make the denuncia in person, obviously you sign it there and then.

If you make it by telephone, however, as per the information Larry gave, you need to to to the Comisaria de Policia Nacional within 48 hours to check the report, which they print off for you, and sign it.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Lynn R said:


> If you go to the Policia Nacional and make the denuncia in person, obviously you sign it there and then.
> 
> If you make it by telephone, however, as per the information Larry gave, you need to to to the Comisaria de Policia Nacional within 48 hours to check the report, which they print off for you, and sign it.


Thanks - now it's clear


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Here's the link where you can do it online - as with the telephone, you have to go to the Policia Nacional within a specific time to sign it.

https://denuncias.policia.es/OVD/

Thanks for your help everyone.


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## 90199 (Mar 21, 2010)

Just a note, some places do not have Policia Nacional, here they are only located in the cities, not having a single city means none at all. I presume we would report to the Guardia Civil. There is only one Policia Local and he is on long term sick.


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Quick update - the online _denuncia_ was very quick and easy to do. Then you just print off a certificate with a reference number and take it to the nearest Comisaria de Policia Nacional within three days.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

When we were burgled we immediately phoned the local police. After they had stopped asking silly questions (or questions that seemed silly) such as 'Are the burglars still in the house?' we were told the police would be at our house very shortly. Within half an hour two National Police arrived and had a look round, taking details. They told us to leave everything in situ until the Scene of Crime squad arrived, which they did the next day. None of these guys spoke English.
After the SOC guys had left we went to the PN in Estepona and gave a denuncia. We were given a copy for insurance purposes but as we have nothing of real value we don't have contents insurance.

And that was that. No idea if the thieves have been caught. But compared to UK police practice the experience was good, really -with the police, not the burglary.


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## larryzx (Jul 2, 2014)

For the sake of clarity, this is the info from the National Police Web page. 

I have amended the somewhat poor English, in-line with actual practice.

Information regarding crimes can be made in English by calling 902 102 112, from 9 a.m to 9 p.m Monday to Sunday. (One can also do so in Spanish, French, Italian and German, but the times for the latter two are from 9am until 3 pm. ) It is not a free call.

The following crimes can be reported by telephone:

Burglary to any type of premises;

Theft of:- 
Personal Property, including by pickpocketing, by an unknown, unseen, 
perpetrator
of/or from a vehicle 
of documents and/or items
from a property, house, shop, storeroom, etc

Loss of documents or other items 

Criminal Damage to property, including motor vehicles, dwellings, etc



Information may be given on the telephone in the above cases. 

However, it should be noted that one is required to attend a National Police Station of your choice, anywhere in Spain, within 48 hours, to check the info and, if correct sign the actual crime report. If that is not done,  then no crime report exists. It should be noted that the report will of course be in Spanish and note, one cannot be certain that the translation is perfect, so you may want to take a translator with you, or you can that the info is correct. Do not expect a translator to be available at any police station.

Should you not be able to attend within the 48 hours, it is possible for the police to call the 902 number, and have a report reinstated, for up to at least 6 months after the telephone call.  It is possible that an individual police officer may not know this, so insist.

Information cannot be given on the telephone in cases of theft from a person, when there is a known perpetrator (known may include that the perpetrator was seen). In such cases, victims are require to go a police station, to make the report. They will use the info you have provided on the telephone to do that, but may ask further questions.

Crime reports may be made directly to the National Police or Guardia Civil, but in a case of a crime, never to the Policia Local. 

In Spain, Crimes can also be reported directly to the Courts of First Instant. At a court one would expect to find a translator on duty.

Note: Making any statement to police, courts etc. which is not correct, is a criminal offence. For that reason police will sometimes refuse to take a report from victims who cannot speak Spain well, as any confusion regarding understanding, may inadvertently, lead to something incorrectly being recorded.

Be aware, that unlike say UK, one cannot report a crime to a police officer anywhere but in a police station. Also, if you report something stolen, say a vehicle, which is subsequently recovered, even by the police, you must make a report explaining that the property has been recovered.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

larryzx said:


> In Spain, Crimes can also be reported directly to the Courts of First Instant. At a court one would expect to find a translator on duty.



All depends where you are - there isn't one at our court for example (town of 33,000 + people)

We offered our services but they said there was absolutely no call for it!


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## larryzx (Jul 2, 2014)

snikpoh said:


> We offered our services but they said there was absolutely no call for it!


That's what I was told 15 years ago when I first approached the National Police where I lived. But all the same we gave it a try and wee extremely busy. 

Within a few months the Comisarios (police chiefs) of 3 national police stations nearby and the chief of a Guardia Civil one all asked me to start a team of volunteers at their stations.

It's such a pity that most of the translators on the 902 system are so often so applauding. One had shown that a motorhome had been broken into, when the victim had said a villa.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

larryzx said:


> That's what I was told 15 years ago when I first approached the National Police where I lived. But all the same we gave it a try and wee extremely busy.
> 
> Within a few months the Comisarios (police chiefs) of 3 national police stations nearby and the chief of a Guardia Civil one all asked me to start a team of volunteers at their stations.
> 
> It's such a pity that most of the translators on the 902 system are so often so applauding. One had shown that a motorhome had been broken into, when the victim had said a villa.


'applauding'? I take it you mean 'appalling'.

I'm sure your translating/interpreting is more accurate....


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