If you are going on vacation to Spain this summer, be careful. AND fraud with very well oiled processes a plague on the country’s highways. This is the Catalan police, the Mossos, warning us through their Twitter account. We explain what mechanisms these modern bandits use on the track and how to avoid them.

Els lladres també aprofiten els peatges per robar-te

Vigila el entorno cuando pares

Thieves also take advantage of tolls on motorways. Be aware of your surroundings when you stop#StopFurtz pic.twitter.com/zQCmOgHksz

—Mossos (@mossos) August 6, 2022

They are looking for your tires

The first step in this scam is to deflate your tire. Thieves take advantage of moments when you are distracted. behind you at the moment for example, they quietly pierce yours right rear tire. Logically, it is the one you see the least, especially when you go through the window to collect a ticket or pay. One or two swings of a clerical knife – and the matter is resolved. They can also attack your tires at the highway rest area. In short, all tricks are good to get you on the track with a flat tire.

So why puncture a tire? No, these thieves are not dealers in spare tires or even repairmen. The scam goes on. When your tire is flat, you have to stop. On the side of the road or in the adjacent rest area on the highway.

Beware of Good Samaritans…

When your vacation is poker, you have to take a little bar break. Encara que sigui mitja hora, no hi deixis objects de valor a dins. Porta semper amb tu la cartera, el mobile i la camera de fotos o video #SegureHolidays pic.twitter.com/j7E9AKo7WI

—Mossos (@mossos) August 8, 2022

Thieves stop behind you and introduce themselves as good Samaritans who want to help you. Distracted by the fact that one of them is helping you change a tire, you do not see the second accomplice, who slides into your car. Then he recovers quickly some valuable things (wallet, phone, etc.). Then the two accomplices return to the car and flee. Everything happened very quickly, you did not realize anything at the time, and it is impossible to follow them with a flat tire.

Scam on the track: how to protect yourself?

So how do you protect yourself from this well thought out scam? You must be alert during both phases of this flight technique. First, on toll roads, watch the car behind you. Harder to do at a gas station: park with the rest of the crowd instead, thieves will be less daring to attack your tires in front of everyone.

If you then have a flat tire. Obviously, not sure if this is a scam, punctures do happen, and good Samaritans do exist. By all means give it a try keep the car locked at any time. Keep your wallet, keys and your phone is on you. If you are still the victim of a theft, write down the license plate number of the car that got away, if possible, or even take a picture on your smartphone. So many elements that will come in handy when you leave file a complaint.

Source: The Independent