Christmas is coming and the peak present-buying season is coming up. We are carrying more cash around with us than normal and unfortunately this has also brought a spate of petty crime to my local shopping centres, airport and town centres on the Costa del Sol.

Over the past three weeks, three of my neighbours/acquaintances have had money or bags taken from them.

The first was a pensioner who had come over to see his daughter and her family. A pickpocket carried off one thousand euros in Malaga airport. This was so fast that he has no idea how it happened or even has a clue about who did this to him. Continue reading »