Locals living in the countryside over in the province of Málaga have reported a spate of buglaries on their cortijos and chalets.

The area is known as the Diseminado Jacamón, which straddles the municipalities of Macharaviaya, Iznate and Almáchar where there have been five break-ins in the space of only one month. Not surpringly, they are demanding more police presence.

Of course, such dwellings usually only occupied during weekends and public holidays, are easy targets, despite their having bars on the doors and windows. What worries locals more than their second residences being ransacked during their absence is receiving a ‘visit’ whilst they are asleep in their beds there.

These thieves are many times not content to steal anything of value, electrical appliances, even clothes, but in some cases they defecated and/or urinated on beds, carpets, etc.

As if these burglaries weren’t enough of a worry, there have also been cases of squatters taking up ‘residence.’ These illegal occupants sometimes claim that they paid money to a third party who showed them houses that had their front doors forced; i.e., they had not forced entrance themselves (to avoid being accused of it).

The Mayor of Almáchar, Antonio Yuste (PSOE), who had participated in a protest gathering together with county-home owners, said that the three town halls had sent a letter to the Málaga Sub-Delegate for the Central Government, Javier Salas, demanding an increase in Guardia Civil numbers. He also said that they are studying the possibility of creating guardas rurales. (unarmed, countryside watchmen)

(News: Almáchar/Macharaviaya/Iznate, Axarquía, Malaga, Andalucia)