Guidance for victims of rape and other forms of sexual assault in Spain - Disclaimer: This information is provided by the British Government for the convenience of enquirers, but neither Her Majesty’s Government nor any official of the Consulate nor Benidorm Seriously accept liability for any loss or damage which you might suffer as a result of relying on the information supplied. This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical or legal advice.
Medical information has been provided by The Havens Sexual Assault Referral Centres of Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and was accurate at the time of publication.
Alicante Consular District (Alicante, Valencia, Castellón, Albacete provinces and the region of Murcia): information for victims of rape and other forms of sexual assault
This information is provided to help British nationals overseas make decisions about whether and how to seek medical advice and attention; report to local police; and engage with foreign legal authorities following a rape or other form of sexual assault overseas.
Rape and sexual assault
First steps
It is your choice about what you do next, but this information may help you in coming to a decision. The most important thing is to make sure that you are as safe as you can be. You can:
If you want to report the incident to the police in the Alicante Consular District
If you have a tour operator, they should be able to arrange for someone to support you. If you do not have a tour operator and you contact the British consulate in Alicante we will try to send a consular officer to support you.
If you choose to report the crime, try to do so as soon as possible, so forensic evidence is not destroyed. Washing yourself or your clothes may make it difficult for the police to obtain forensic evidence. If you change your clothes, think about taking those you were wearing to the police. You should try to preserve evidence by retaining items such as condoms, toothbrushes, or texts.
You can approach the police directly either by the emergency telephone number 112, or in person at a police station, you can also ask them to inform the British Consulate-Alicante (+34 965 21 60 22), which will enable us to provide you with consular support.
In Spain there are two different law enforcement forces which work at a national level: the Spanish National Police (Cuerpo Nacional de Policía) and the Civil Guard (Guardia Civil). In addition there are also regional police forces such as the Ertzainta in the Basque Country, the Mossos d’Esquadra in Catalonia (Barcelona consular district) and the Policía Foral in Navarre. Depending on where you are in Spain, you could be attended to by officers of anyone of these forces therefore in this information please take “police” to mean law enforcement officers or force in general unless otherwise stated.
There is also the “Policía Local” (local police) and the “Policia Municipal” (municipal police) but they are not able to take police reports or investigate crimes. Therefore, if you try to report an incident with either of these police forces, you are likely to be referred to the nearest Policía Nacional or Guardia Civil police station.
The Spanish National Police have 173 UFAM Centres throughout Spain specialised in assisting rape and sexual assault victims (Unidades de la Familia y la Mujer). The Civil Guard also have specialised units called EMUME (Equipo Mujer-Menor) which provides assistance to female victims and minors.
What happens next?
If you do decide to report the incident, the police will interview you and you can request to speak to a female officer. There is no guarantee that a female police officer will be available or that you will be given somewhere private to wait. Very few police officers speak English. The police will locate an interpreter for you if you do not speak Spanish, but you will usually have to wait a while for one to be available once they request one. The consulate does not offer interpreting or translation services but may be able to assist you in exceptional circumstances.
If a consular officer is available, we can accompany you to the police station and help you to understand what is going on and what to expect next. You do not have to surrender your passport whilst the investigation is carried out although you will be asked to provide up to date contact details in the UK.
Some British nationals have informed us that they have found the process of reporting the assault to be difficult at times due to the lack of special facilities at the police station such as a quiet and private room. Also due to cultural and language differences, Spanish police officers can be perceived as technical and lacking in empathy when taking statements.
The types of questions that will be asked include: the identity of the assailant; a description, where and when the incident happened; what happened; the circumstances and if there were any witnesses. Tell the police if you think you have been drugged. The police are also likely to ask if you have taken out any insurance from which you can claim compensation for the assault. The Association of Travel Insurance Intermediaries (ATII) have confirmed that they are not aware of any UK issued retail travel insurance that will include financial compensation for any travellers who have suffered as a victim of rape or a serious assault.
You will be asked to read your statement or the interpreter will read it to you to check the information is correct and then you will have to sign it. A copy of this police report (denuncia or atestado in Spanish) should be given to you so please insist you receive a copy. Normally the report will be in Spanish. Under the Victims of Crime Statute Law 4/2015 (Ley 4/2015 del Estatuto de la Víctima del delito) you will be provided with information on your rights as a victim of a violent and/or sexual crime. The information and forms should be available in English. A copy of your statement will be sent immediately to the corresponding court on duty where a judge and prosecutor will examine the information you have provided.
The police will usually keep any clothes you were wearing and hand them to a forensic examiner to be used as evidence in court. You will not usually receive these back. They may also take you to the scene of the crime or where you think the attacker may be located. You may also be asked to agree to have a mouth swab taken at the time you make your statement.
Rape and sexual assault
If you do not want to report the incident to the police in the Alicante Consular District
The British consulate will still be able to help you. This includes helping you to make arrangements to contact your insurance company, your family, travel back to the UK and/or provide you with information on local support in the UK. We can provide you with lists of English-speaking medical facilities, private lawyers and translators.
If you are travelling with a tour operator, you can report the incident to your representative and ask them for assistance. Where possible and if you wish, the tour operator may accompany you to the local hospital/medical centre. Otherwise depending on your circumstances consular staff may be able to do so depending on availability.
If you want to report the incident to the police in the UK
You do not have to report an assault to the Spanish Police if you don’t want to but it is very much recommend to report the crime whilst in Spain to enable the Spanish police to act and for legal action to be taken against an assailant. If you file a report in the UK, Spanish police inform us that it is far more difficult for them to investigate and take action. They are less likely to have any forensic evidence or to be able to carry out a detailed investigation as evidence such as CCTV is normally only kept for a few weeks. We are also aware that the transfer of a crime report from the UK to Spain can take a considerable length of time, which again can affect the Spanish police and the Spanish court’s ability to take action. If you file a report in the UK, by the time the report reaches Spain, the evidence may have been lost.
If you do decide to report the crime to the police in the UK, it is for the Spanish police and the Spanish court to decide whether to investigate a crime in their jurisdiction or not. UK police forces cannot investigate crimes committed overseas. It cannot be guaranteed that the Spanish police or the Spanish court will decide to take up the case via the UK police, and if they do, this is a very lengthy process. It can therefore be very difficult to guarantee that any justice can be accessed without reporting the crime in Spain.
Please see Rape and Sexual Assault: Returning to the UK after rape or sexual assault abroad for more information.
The medical examination – what to expect
If a member of consular staff is available, they will be able to accompany you to the hospital if you so wish. Some hospital staff may speak English, but the majority will speak only Spanish. We are able to help you understand what is going on if we are able to accompany you.
In most areas of Spain, there is a specific designated public hospital with special facilities for victims of rape and sexual assault. Depending on where you are in Spain some public and private hospitals will not provide medical attention if they become aware that you are a victim of rape or sexual assault and they may ask you to go to the designated public hospital in the area instead. Also in some areas of Spain the designated public hospital or private/public hospitals will not attend to you without a police report.
If you have not already received medical assistance and forensic tests prior to making your police report, the police will usually take you to the designated public hospital in the area for rape and sexual assault victims for medical assistance and where forensic tests for use as evidence in court will be carried out. A forensic doctor will be called out to attend to you and this may involve a long wait at the hospital, especially if it is out of hours.
The sooner the examination takes place, the more chance of collecting any important evidence that may be required. The examination will be carried out by a forensic doctor or a nurse and a gynaecologist and may include swabs, blood and urine tests. A report will be made listing any injuries. The results and samples taken at your examination at the hospital plus the clothes you were wearing are taken by the police to the scientific police laboratory for forensic examination including establishing the DNA of the assailant if possible.
Treatment
Hospital/medical staff can provide a prescription for Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) (in Spanish La PEP: profilaxis posexposición) which is a treatment that can prevent HIV infection. HIV PEP medication needs to be taken within 72 hours of the incident for it to be effective. If you are going back to the UK the NHS may be able to commence or continue the 28-day treatment on your return.
If you intend to stay a while in Spain, the hospital will usually test you for HIV or sexually transmitted diseases. The results can take a while to come through and if you are staying in Spain, the hospital will arrange the appropriate follow up tests and treatment. If you are travelling straight back to the UK, you need to contact your GP straight away on your return. The results may be sent to an email address you provide.
Emergency contraception or “the morning after pill” (in Spanish la píldora postcoital) may be prescribed to you by the hospital. It can also be bought over the counter at a pharmacy without a prescription. In the latter case you will have to pay the full price for it. Emergency contraception needs to be taken within 72 hours of the incident for it to be effective. You may also be prescribed antibiotics.
If you are prescribed medication, you will not be able to collect this at the hospital as they do not have their own pharmacies. You will have to go to your nearest pharmacy (“farmacia” in Spanish) with your prescription (“receta” in Spanish). There are 24-hour pharmacies in Spain and there should always be an emergency pharmacy open during the night and weekends on a rota system. The address of the nearest emergency pharmacist should be displayed in the windows of the pharmacies in the area where you are.
Please note it is not possible to buy painkillers such as paracetamol in supermarkets in Spain. You have to buy them from the pharmacy but you do not need a prescription.
If you are a visitor to Spain, treatment in a state/public hospital will be covered by your UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) or European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Contact the NHS Business Service Authority on +44 191 218 1999 if you don’t have your EHIC/GHIC card with you. If you live in Spain, healthcare cover will be dependent on your social security cover (see Healthcare in Spain for more information). If you attend hospital accompanied by the police and undergo a forensic examination, you will not be charged for this, regardless of whether or not you have healthcare cover.
If you have had medication administered overseas, you may wish to keep the label or make a note of the name of the medication and your medical reports, so that you can let your local health provider know when you return home.
Police investigations in the Alicante Consular District – what to expect
Once you have made a statement and undergone a medical examination, this information will be sent by the police to the investigating court on duty (Juzgado de Instrucción). You will then probably be asked to go to the court to reconfirm or ratify your statement before a Judge and Prosecutor. If you are leaving Spain in the next few days you may be asked to go to court immediately (or the next morning) after making your report to the police. Whilst at the court, you can enquire whether it is possible to make a recording of your statement (in Spanish, prueba preconstituida), which may be used in any future court hearings, in case you do not wish to return to Spain to appear in person at the court.
If you intend to stay in Spain, you may be asked to reconfirm your report at a later date. You will be provided with an interpreter and given information on your rights according to the Victims of Crime Statute Law 4/2015. You will not be expected to meet, coincide or speak to the suspected assailant at the court or at the police station.
During the investigation, you could be asked by the court to return to Spain to attend an ID parade or provide a further statement.
If the police make an arrest, the suspect has to be taken before the court within 72 hours of being arrested. At this stage the Judge and the Prosecutor will decide whether to commit the assailant to prison pending further investigation, release the assailant provisionally with or without bail pending further investigation, or release the assailant without charges.
You may be asked to then ratify your statement and be provided with information on your rights and in particular the right to appoint a lawyer to represent you or to have a state-appointed lawyer appointed for you instead. (Please note the latter is means-tested and depends on your income). You will also be informed of the right to apply for free legal assistance and the right to apply for financial aid to help cover costs such as treatment for psychological and physical injuries.
Rape and sexual assault
Court procedures – what to expect
The investigation stage is led by the investigating court, the “Juzgado de Instrucción”. The police pass any information to the investigating court and therefore, all requests for updates have to be directed to the court.
If you wish a member of consular staff to accompany you to the court, we will do so although we would only be able to be present when you ratify your statement if the judge allows it. If you have requested a legal aid lawyer or have a private lawyer with you, this person would be allowed to accompany you at all times.
Under Law 4/2015 of 27 April, the Victims of Crime Statute Law (Estatuto de la víctima del delito), you are entitled to be kept informed by the court on the progress of your case. However, it can sometimes be difficult to obtain information and victims often inform us that they are not kept up to date with the progress of their case.
Most courts have a victim support office. If you make yourself known to them before you leave Spain, they should be able to obtain updates on your behalf. Sometimes the British Consulate is also able to obtain updates for you, although we do not have access to case files. If you apply for a legal aid lawyer or appoint a private lawyer, this person will be able to obtain updates for you and provide you with more detailed information about the case.
The Spanish police and court will be able to provide you with information on how to apply for free legal aid from the State, which is means tested and depends on your income. The exception to this is minors (in Spain this is anyone under 18 years old) who are automatically entitled to legal aid. In all cases, the victim has to make their request for legal aid known to the police and the court as soon as possible
You are also entitled to be kept informed by the court on the progress of your case. When you attend court to reconfirm your statement, you will be asked whether you want to provide contact details in the UK or Spain including an email address. It is essential that you keep the court informed of your address in the UK if you decide to leave Spain. You can also authorise the British consulate to have access to information on your case so we can try to update you but please note it can be sometimes very difficult to obtain information. If you apply for a state-appointed lawyer or appoint a private lawyer, this person will be able to obtain updates for you from the court.
If you decide to drop the charges, the prosecutor may decide to continue with the case if it is in the Public Interest to do so. For example, if the suspect is being prosecuted for a series of crimes against others, in addition to your case, it may be in the public interest for the person to be prosecuted.
The alleged assailant can press counter charges claiming false accusations.
Trial procedures
Spanish judicial procedures can be lengthy and drawn out especially if your assailant is not immediately identifiable and/or arrested soon after the assault. An investigating judge is principally in charge of leading the investigation into the assault. At the end of the investigation phase when all necessary reports and statements have been completed the judge in charge of the investigation and the state prosecutor will decide whether there is enough evidence for the case to go to trial. In which case, the case will be passed to a trial court and will be presided over by three judges and the state prosecutor. You will be notified by the Spanish authorities of the trial date and if you are in the UK, you will be notified via the UK authorities.
The trial will be conducted in Spanish and you will be provided with an interpreter when you are asked questions about your statement. You should also be accompanied by your lawyer, private or state-appointed. Please note that there is usually no simultaneous interpreting of the whole of the court proceedings.
Cases can take years to come to trial, as the Spanish court system is very slow. If you haven’t heard anything from the court for some time, this does not necessarily mean that the case has been filed. The length of the trial itself can also vary depending on the complexity of the circumstances.
The trial is normally held in front of a group of judges who have access to all the information beforehand. This may mean that you are not questioned on every aspect of your statement. The length of the trial depends on the complexity of the case but can be as little as a day or a few hours.
You will only have to be present when you give evidence. If you request it beforehand, most courts will be able to provide a screen for the assailant to sit behind whilst you give your evidence. The British Consulate can help you to make this request.
You will not receive notification of the verdict straight away; rather you will be notified in writing at a later date.
If convicted the assailant has right of appeal against the length of the sentence which can take months to be resolved.
The offender may be ordered to pay you compensation once he has been convicted and the sentence is irrevocable i.e. with no right of appeal. The amount will be published in the sentence. Compensation or an award for damages ordered by the Court is separate from your right to apply for state-funded financial aid to cover costs as mentioned above. However, state-funded financial aid and amounts awarded as compensation or damages are offset between the Spanish authorities involved.
If you attend a trial in person, you can ask for the forms to apply for your travel costs to be reimbursed. Feedback indicates that it can take many months for payment to come through and that not all costs are covered as there is a cap on certain costs such as accommodation.
Sentencing (*)
Sentences in Spain are ruled by the principle of rehabilitation. Prisoners are encouraged to join voluntary rehabilitation programmes in prison which entail certain prisoner privileges.
Sex offences are generally punishable with a prison sentence and its duration will depend on the classification of the offence (sexual abuse, rape…).
If the alleged perpetrator is found not guilty, there will be no criminal responsibility. However, during the investigation phase of the proceedings, and if the alleged perpetrator is not remanded to prison, certain provisional measures could be applied for such as a restraining order.
(*) Information provided by the Public Prosecutors’ Office
Rape and sexual assault
Hiring a lawyer
A private lawyer will represent your interests before the court and is able to present a private prosecution in parallel to the state prosecution. A lawyer should be able to access the pre-trial information held by the court including the statements provided by the defendant. If you instruct an English-speaking private lawyer, you will be informed in English about the progress of the investigation and court proceedings. For a list of private English-speaking lawyers please visit List of lawyers for Alicante Consular District and look for those specialised in criminal law.
Legal aid
The appointment of a lawyer by the state and access to legal aid is means-tested in Spain and depends on your income. The exception to this is minors (in Spain this is anyone under 18 years old) who are automatically entitled to legal aid. State-appointed lawyers are not obliged to speak the language of the person they are representing. Please visit Free legal assistance - Personal formalities and procedures - Ministry of Justice and Legal aid in Spain for further information.
You can also apply for a state-appointed lawyer via the Provincial Law Society or by submitting a letter to the court and your application will be assessed by a commission. It is important to maintain your contact details up-to-date when applying for a state-appointed lawyer as they will periodically contact you for you to provide them with certain documents in support of your application.
Rape and sexual assault Support organisations and useful contacts in the Alicante consular district
The Samaritans English language help line in Spain
Samaritans in Spain operate a 24 hour, confidential telephone support line on free-phone +34 900 525 100 (“You talk, we listen”) and email:
Drop in centre open from Monday to Saturday and from 10am to 6pm
Punta Marina Commercial Center
Punta Prima
Torrevieja
Costa Blanca, 03185
COMUNIDAD VALENCIANA
C.A.V.A.S Comunidad Valenciana (Centro de Atención a la Víctima de Abusos Sexuales)
https://cavascv.org/quienes-somos/
Tel: 96 394 30 69 Email
C/ Guillem de Castro, 100 - 46003 Valencia
Centros de la Mujer (support and advice centres for women)
24 hour telephone number: +34 900 580 888 as well as the following regional offices:
ALICANTE (24h)
C/ García Andreu, 12,
Alicante 03007
CASTELLON (24h)
C/ Mayor, 2, 5º
Castellón 12001
VALENCIA (24 h)
C/ Guardia Civil, 21
Valencia 46020
DENIA (Monday to Sunday from 8am to 10pm)
C/ Plaza Archiduque Carlos, 3, Planta 1ª
Denia 03700
TORREVIEJA (Monday to Sunday from 8am to 10pm)
Av. de las Habaneras, 20
Torrevieja 03182
MURCIA
Recursos del Sector Mujer del Ayuntamiento de Murcia (town hall support for women)
http://www.murcia.es/serviciossociales/info_sectores.asp?sector=1
Tel. 968 35 86 00
Plaza Beato Andrés Hibernón, 6, 30001 Murcia
ALBACETE
Freephone women’s helpline: 900 100 114
Cavas Castilla la Mancha
C/ Muelle, 7. Entresuelo. 02001. Albacete.
TEL: 96 752 24 52
Fax: 96 752 24 52
Email:
More organisations can be found on the following link: https://www.mehanviolado.com/asociaciones-de-ayuda-a-victimas/
LIST OF LOCAL PUBLIC HOSPITALS:
ALICANTE PROVINCE:
Hospital General de Elche - C/ Camino de la Almazara 11, 03203 Elche Tel: 96 661 69 00
Hospital Vinalopó "Doctor Mas Magro" - C/ Tonico Sansano Mora 14, 03293 Elche. Tel: 96667 98 00
Hospital General de Alicante - C/ Pintor Baeza 12, 03010 Alicante. Tel: 96 593 30 00
Hospital Dénia - Partida Beniadlà s/n 03700 Dénia. Tel: 96 642 90 00
Hospital La Vila Joiosa "Marina Baixa" - Avda. Alcalde En Jaume Botella Mayor 7, 03570 Villajoyosa. Tel 96 685 98 00 NOTE: this is the closest hospital to Benidorm – 10 minute drive from Benidorm or two stops on the tram L1
Hospital San Juan de Alicante - Ctra. Alicante-Valencia, s/n 03550 Sant Joan d´Alacant. Tel: 96 593 87 00
Hospital Torrevieja - Ctra. CV-95 Torrevieja-Sam Miguel de Salinas, Partida Ceñuela, 03186 Torrevieja. Tel: 96 572 13 13
Hospital Vega Baja de Orihuela - Ctra. Orihuela-Almoradí s/n, 03314 Orihuela. Tel: 96 587 75 00
A full list of hospitals in Alicante province can be found here: http://publicaciones.san.gva.es/docs/org/Centroshospitalariospublicosvalencianosporprovincia.pdf
VALENCIA PROVINCE:
Hospital Universitario La Fe Departamento de València-La Fe Av. Campanar, 21 (Valencia-46009) 96 386 27 00
A full list of hospitals in Valencia province can be found here: http://publicaciones.san.gva.es/docs/org/Centroshospitalariospublicosvalencianosporprovincia.pdf
CASTELLON PROVINCE:
A full list of hospitals in Castellon province can be found here: http://publicaciones.san.gva.es/docs/org/Centroshospitalariospublicosvalencianosporprovincia.pdf
REGION OF MURCIA:
A full list of hospitals in the Region of Murcia can be found here:
https://www.murciasalud.es/pagina.php?id=392715&idsec=6
ALBACETE PROVINCE:
A full list of hospitals in the Albacete province can be found here:
http://sescam.castillalamancha.es/ciudadanos/buscador-de-centros
When you return home to the UK
You may want to let your GP or a Sexual Assault Referral Centre know what has happened to you so that you can talk about the experience and seek further support and advice.
If you believe you may be at risk of having contracted a sexually-transmitted infection (STI), you should ask your local health provider to test you, even if you have been tested in the country that the assault took place in.
SARC (Sexual Assault Referral Centres) offer medical, practical and emotional support. They have specially trained doctors, nurses and support works to care for you. Find your nearest SARC online.
It is your choice to let people know. If you are ready to talk about it the following organisations may be able to help you.
Support organisations and useful contacts in the UK
Rape Crisis England and Wales free phone: 0808 802 9999 www.rapecrisis.org.uk
Rape Crisis Scotland free phone: 0141331 4180 www.rapecrisisscotland.org.uk
Rape Crisis England & Wales and Rape Crisis Scotland are the national umbrella organisations for rape crisis centres in Great Britain.
Local rape crisis centres provide crisis and long-term specialised counselling, support and independent advocacy for all women and girls of all ages who have experienced any form of sexual violence; centres are community-based, and independent of government and the criminal justice system.
Nexus Northern Ireland
Belfast 028 9032 6803, Londonderry 028 7126 0566, Enniskillen 028 6632 0046 http://www.nexusni.org
Nexus Northern Ireland offer counselling and support to survivors of sexual abuse, victims of sexual violence including those who have experienced rape and sexual assault.
Counselling is available for anyone aged 16+ in all regions of Northern Ireland. They offer counselling in 25 centres across Northern Ireland.
The Survivors Trust
0808 801 0818 http://thesurvivorstrust.org/
The Survivors Trust is a UK-wide national umbrella agency for 130 specialist organisations for support for the impact of rape, sexual violence and childhood sexual abuse throughout the UK and Ireland.
Victim Support 0808 168 911 https://www.victimsupport.org.uk/
Victim Support is an independent charity dedicated to supporting victims of crime and traumatic incidents in England and Wales. Our purpose is to provide specialist help to support people to cope and recover to the point where they feel they are back on track with their lives.
Survivors UK www.survivorsuk.org
Alternatively, you can WhatsApp them on 074 91816064 or contact their office on 0203 5983898.
Survivors UK support and provide resources for men who have experienced any form of sexual violence. Their national webchat service for men and their families, partners and friends is open seven days a week and can be accessed through their website.
Glasgow & Clyde Rape Crisis (GCRC) Helpline & free phone is 08088 00 00 14 https://www.glasgowclyderapecrisis.org.uk/
GCRC provide live on-line support for British nationals who are victims of sexual violence globally.
GCRC support survivors by phone, online contact form, SMS, Skype/Facetime or e-mail, to give survivors the chance to have face to face support in their first language and from an organisation that specialises in the support they need.
Disclaimer
This information is provided as a general guide and is based upon information provided to the British Embassy by the relevant local authorities and may be subject to change at any time with little or no notice. Accordingly the FCO and British Embassy nor Benidorm Seriously will not be liable for any inaccuracies in this information. British nationals wishing to obtain any further information must contact the relevant local authority.
Benidorm Bouncers - Over the last few years the Door Security here in Benidorm have had a lot of bad press, both here in Spain and in the UK tabloids (which never seem to have anything good to say about Benidorm anyway) and several videos even went viral in the past, causing a very public outcry for more action to be taken and for the Benidorm Bouncers to be better regulated.
1st April 2023 - Doorman stabbed in Benidorm - The incident occurred at around 23.00, Thursday 30th April in the "British Area"
The two men involved were a 36 year old British man and the victim a 42 year old from Romania. The argument broke out when the 42 year old doorman removed the British man from a well known bar, the British man then turned on the doorman with a knife.
The 36-year-old Briton was later arrested by the National Police after receiving medical assistance (he also injured himself with the knife), the doorman needed further treatment and was taken to the ICU at General Hospital of Alicante.
Viral news -
The quite shocking video footage, was uploaded to Facebook on Thursday 15th November 2018 and shows men being kicked and punched by various door staff.
Please note the above is not the video just a photo, the video now comes with a graphic warning
But what lead up to this event?
This is a statement from the venue itself "We can't condone the actions of any of the men in the video, but a lot of the men in the video did not in fact work for the Red Lion. Sadly, the situation should have been handled much better than it was, but it had escalated due to other parties getting involved. The police have been made aware of the situation and they will decide how to move forward.
However, the cause of the actual incident was initiated due to violent behaviour from the customer when he was asked to leave the premises. The Spanish National Police have cameras in the bar and can see everything leading up to the event that took place on the street. Obviously nobody wants these things to happen but unfortunately here in Benidorm they happen everyday and in many bars.
As mentioned earlier, we do not condone the actions of ANY of the people involved in this situation......INCLUDING the customers. As a general idea to make Benidorm better for all...... Have respect for staff in all of Benidorm and these incidents will drastically drop in number. When you are asked to comply with the laws of the bar by a member of staff, DO NOT question it OR throw insulting, colourful and (not on this occasion) racist language towards us, as we get this same abuse every night". end of statement.
Yes there will always be incidents and sometimes these do get out of hand, however, people do need to remember that this is Spain and the rules and laws are different here from the UK, but we are all aware that something does need to be done about the situation where some of the bouncers become too heavy handed.
The bouncers here deal with 1000´s of people every single night and obviously incidents are going to happen that fall under their obligation. These incidents are often alcohol related, and involve large groups of stags challenging the doorman's authority. The misconception that the doorman is alone fuels the challenge. The reality is, they are all connected by radio, and each one has the ability to call for backup from the other bars at any time.
We get quite a lot of posts on the group about this subject and unfortunately they do not always portray the real story, when a video gets posted, no one actually sees what has gone on before hand to entice such violence and the stories get twisted like "Chinese Whispers".
Certain Benidorm bouncers have in the past been charged by the police for over aggression, so yes it is dealt with by the authorities under Spanish Law.
During our time of living here and spending most nights in the cabaret bars, I can honestly say that we have never seen the bouncers actually start a fight.
If you are asked to leave a venue for what ever reason, maybe you are talking during a show, or have simply had too much to drink and are becoming a nuisance to other customers then yes the door staff will ask you to leave, our advice is to just leave without trying to stand your ground.
It is stated that the bouncers here wear knuckle dusters. This is also incorrect. Many do however wear sports gloves designed for MMA for protection of the knuckles.
We often hear statements such as "I was doing nothing wrong, but was asked to leave" Sorry but put things into perspective. When there are hundreds of people in a venue, if you are doing nothing wrong why would the door staff ask you to leave.... why would you have drawn their attention out of the hundreds of other people there? If you are asked to leave then please do so, there are plenty of other bars you can move on to in town.
Generally, there is always more to the story than meets the eye or what is posted and we try to always get factual information as to what actually happened and this can be very different from the initial story that hits social media, for example -
"Was absolutely loving my first time in Benidorm until last night when a bouncer threw me and a friend out for no reason whatsoever. I refused to leave and one of the bouncers kneed me from behind in my private parts. He laughed in my face then phoned the police. The police demanded 100 euros from my friend or we would be arrested" and the real reason they were asked to leave the premises - "she attacked one of the bar staff scratching their face and then threw a drink at the doorman when he asked them to leave"..... hence why the police were called in to deal with the matter.
"I've just been put off Benidorm 20+ bouncers going after one 24 yr old lad some armed with baseball bats, if it hadn't been for one woman a guest from one of the hotels god knows what would of happened police arrived & he was taken away in an ambulance" - and the real events this so called man who had done nothing wrong was wanted by the police for glassing a doorman in the face the previous night, several arrests were made but this one man ran away before he could be apprehended, the bouncers spotted him and withheld him until the police arrived to arrest him. A little different from the social media version!
"Tonight I have witnessed the once again barbaric actions of bouncers here. A guy who was drunk was beaten up and laid out cold in the street. Another guy was standing with his head streaming in blood. The police and ambulance arrived and have taken them to hospital. It's disgusting what these bouncers are allowed to do. As far as I could see there was no questioning by the police being done with the staff. - and the response from the venue - "as usual there is always another side to the story. These 2 lads were part of a larger group and there was an altercation with the doormen, and one of the lads attacked the doorman with a bottle across his face. He acknowledges that they may have overreacted which I guess is normal if someone hit you in the face with a bottle. Both doormen have been arrested and this will be going to court".
We could go on and on with stories such as the ones above, these are just a very small example of how things can get twisted on Social Media and taken out of context, next thing you know its all in the UK tabloids, but again only one side of the story is told.
Entertainers have also been physically attacked whilst on stage, and of course the door staff will deal with these incidents. Both Tony Scott and Lee from Carnaby Street and no doubt others have been physically attacked, this is not acceptable behaviour.
April 2018 "Lee from Carnaby Street got cracked in mouth whilst on stage last night"
Benidorm Bouncers
We all hope that door staff will be properly licenced in the future and the rogue element is removed. Those who know these guys will agree that the majority of them are a good bunch of lads with the safety of the public and the staff their priority. Like everything here in Spain these things do take time.
Stay safe in Benidorm. If you are asked to leave a venue, even if you feel you have done nothing wrong, just accept it and leave. There are plenty of other bars that will appreciate your custom.
Be careful what you write on Social Media in Spain
BE AWARE Spain has very strict Slander and deformation of character laws (article 205 and 208 of the Spanish Criminal code), so before posting about a venue/person, make sure your facts are correct, think carefully or you could end up with a very large fine as this news article proves.
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Drinking and Driving in Spain. The laws on Drinking and Driving in Spain are stricter than the UK, in Wales, Northern Ireland and England the drink-drive limit is 0.8 mg/ml of blood, and 0.5mg/ml of blood for Scotland. The generic maximum alcohol limit in Spain is 0.5 grams per litre of alcohol in the blood and 0.25 milligrams per litre of alcohol breathed out.
For new drivers, the maximum limits are 0.3 grams per litre of alcohol in the blood and 0.15 milligrams per litre of alcohol in the breath.
For professional drivers, throughout the Spanish territory, the limits are 0.3 grams per litre of alcohol in the blood and 0.15 milligrams per litre of alcohol in the breath.
Police remind people that cyclists, scooter riders and even pedestrians can be required to undertake an alcohol level test if involved in an accident, with penalties the same as car drivers if over the limit (without points, of course).
Alcohol checks are frequent on the roads of Spain, normally conducted with a breathalyser at the roadside initially, although those findings can always be backed up with blood tests if needed.
By law, if you are asked to take a breathalyser test when requested and refuse the penalty is 1,000 euros , withdrawal of 6 points and you could even face up to 1 year of imprisonment.
It’s impossible to say exactly how many drinks this equals as it is different for each person and the way alcohol affects you depends on: your weight, age, sex, and metabolism (the rate your body uses energy), the type and amount of alcohol you’re drinking, what you’ve eaten recently even what your stress levels are at the time.
Remember, alcohol can have an immediate effect, but that effect can also linger, so even if you have left the car at home because you are going for a “heavy” night out, you may still be over the limit, and affected by alcohol, the morning after.
It is always best simply to not drink and drive full stop, but here are the acceptable limits:
The information below is supplied by the DGT.
For men typically weighing between 70 and 90 kilos the following levels are legally acceptable:
Beer—5% strength, one 33 cl or small beer “tercio”, a second one will take a driver close or over the limit
Wine—12% strength, two normal-sized glasses (100ml) is the maximum you can safely enjoy
Spirits—23% strength, two small glasses (45 ml) is your limit
For women typically weighing between 50 and 70 kg:
Beer—5% strength, one 33 cl or small beer “tercio”, a second one would result in a fine
Wine—12% strength, one and a half glasses (100ml) is your limit
Spirits—23% strength, just one will do you before taking the wheel.
Penalties for Drinking and Driving
Spain applies a points system to Spanish driving licences. Depending on the result you will get one of these penalties;
If the result of the test is between 0,25 and 0,50 mg/l. You will face a 500 euros fine and a loss of 4 points.
If the result of the test is over 0,50 mg/l, you will face a 1000 euros fine and a loss of 6 points.
If the result of the test is over 0,60 mg/l, you will have committed a criminal offence, therefore, there will be a trial and the judge will ban you from driving for a long period of time. Besides, there will be a heavy fine depending on the test result and the damage caused (in case of a traffic accident).
To maintain the safety of other road-users, police will confiscate the vehicle of a driver who has been found under the influence of alcohol. An exception is made if a passenger holds a valid driving licence and is able to take control of the vehicle. If the police confiscate a vehicle, the driver is liable for the costs of towing and storage. These costs must be paid before the vehicle is released.
It is compulsory for non-residents to pay fines immediately, in cash. If this is not possible, the vehicle will be confiscated.
Payment of Fines
Fines are payable through the Traffic Department (Dirección General de Tráfico, DGT) website, by telephone (by credit or debit card), in some banks and at post offices (Correos). Additional fees may be charged to cover administrative costs. Fines paid within 20 days of issue benefit from a reduction of 50 percent.
Note -
Refusing to co-operate is also a criminal offense - Drivers who refuse to take a breath test are liable to a prison sentence of 6 to 12 months and a loss of six points. Note that the same regulations apply to cyclists, although they don’t lose any points!
A blood test is only available after the breath test if you disagree with the result.
If you have an accident while under the influence of alcohol, your car and health insurance could be nullified. This means that you must pay your own and any third party’s car repairs, medical expenses and other damages, which could run to millions of euros.
Feel free to ask questions in the comments section below, or join us on Facebook
SPANISH POLICE - It can be a little confusing to most newcomers to Spain, that there are three separate Police Forces that operate, with varying responsibilities, all of whom are armed.
The Guardia Civil
They wear avocado green uniforms and olive-green caps and were generally feared during Franco's era due to their far reaching influence and control.
These days they are responsible for national security, customs and for crowd control at large events. Their traffic department vehicles patrol the main highways with green and white coloured cars and motorbikes and organise radar speeding checks. They are very pro-active in setting up roadside checkpoints to check various documentation, so don't be alarmed if you are stopped at any time of the day or night - But remember that this is all the more reason to have your paperwork in order and kept in your glove compartment.
The National Police
Wear a black uniform and blue or white shirts, some officers may wear a blue military uniform and some are armed as their duties include guarding public building and personnel.
National Police are stationed in towns with a population of over 20,000 and deal with serious crime such as theft, rape and muggings, and are also used to control demonstrations and crowds. Other duties include guarding embassies, railway stations, post offices and army barracks in most towns and cities, when they’re armed with submachine guns. The national police are housed in a police station ( comisaría de policía), many of which have a foreigners ( extranjeros) department dealing with matters such as residence permits. There are also plain clothes policemen ( cuerpo superior de policía) in urban areas.
They are responsible for most day to day crime investigation and it is to them that you should go to make a denuncia for any crime that you may be a victim ie stolen credit cards, passport etc. They will provide you with the necessary documentation to supply to your bank/insurance company etc. The SATE office can help you with this process.
SPANISH POLICE
The Local (Municipal) Police
Wear blue and white uniforms and are basically Town Hall Officials. Their main responsibilities include Parking violations, guarding the street crossings at School times and upholding the local Bye Laws (Like Building & Safety regulations) in the Municipal area.
The Policia Municipal receive their orders from local governmental bodies and are the guys you go to for most smaller problems – petty theft, personal disputes, problems with specific storekeepers, or simply if you’re in a new town and hopelessly lost. The Policia Municipal are also the police you may come across if you hire a rental car and are stopped for violating one of Spain’s many traffic laws.
Although they too are armed, they are very approachable by residents and Tourists alike as they are essentially working in the Interests of the local community.
GEO
Spain also has an elite special operations group ( Grupo Especial de Operaciones/GEO) responsible for combating terrorism and dealing with other extreme situations, in addition to guarding Spanish ambassadors and embassies abroad. Other ’police’ forces include the port police ( policia de puerto) in sea ports, whose jurisdiction is limited to the property of the local junta del puerto, and armed guards (vigilantes jurados) employed by banks and security companies.
Telephone Numbers
The European Emergency telephone Number 112
062 - Guardia Civil
091 - National Police - Reporting robberies etc.
061 - Health emergencies
080 - Fire Service
092 - Local Police, Benidorm local police station 966 80 77 66
090 - Report traffic incidents
011 - Road information (traffic jams and incidents)
016 - Reporting Domestic Violence
You must usually dial a local number for the municipal police, although dialling 092 will get you connected to the local police station or get your message relayed.
For a full list of ALL Emergency telephone numbers click HERE
You can Track a Lost or Stolen MOBILE PHONE, but be careful how you list your personal numbers.
After a lady had her handbag stolen which contained her phone, credit card, wallet, etc. . . . . . 20 minutes later when she called her husband, from a pay phone telling him what had happened, he was astonished & told her . . 'Oh gosh.. I received your text asking about our Pin number and I've replied a little while ago.' When they rushed down to the bank, the bank staff told them all the money was already withdrawn. The thief had actually used the stolen phone to text “hubby” in the contact list & got hold of the pin number. Within 20 minutes he had withdrawn all the money from their bank account.
IMPORTANT lesson:
a. Do not disclose the relationship between you & the people in your contact list. Always avoid using names like Home, Missus, Hubby, Sweetheart, Dad, Mum, etc.
b. And very importantly, when sensitive info is being asked through texts, do not respond BUT immediately CONFIRM by calling back.
c. Also, when you receive a text unexpectedly from friends or family asking you to meet them somewhere, be sure to call back to confirm that the message came from them. If you don't reach them, be very careful about going places to meet 'family and friends' who text you.
MANY MOBILE PHONES ARE HANDED INTO THE LOCAL POLICE STATION LOST AND FOUND DEPARTMENT
How To Track Your Lost Android Phone Without Installed Tracking App
Please note that obviously as technology advances some of this information my change, so it is just a guide line
Note: In case you’re actually missing an Apple device, READ BLEOW.
Have you (ever) lost your Android smartphone or tablet without having a device tracking app installed? Then you should read this! This could be your chance to get your phone back.
There are a handful of phone recovery or anti-theft apps on the Google Play Store which can be a lifesaver in case you lose your phone or, even worse, it gets stolen. But many people might only realize that there are such apps AFTER it got lost or stolen. Then, it usually is too late and you have to face the ugly truth that the phone is gone for good.
Track a Mobile Phone
How to track your Android phone or tablet after it got lost or stolen
But don’t burst out in tears just yet. There’s still hope for your phone to find its way back to you! There are a few ways to remote control and track your phone even if you haven’t installed a recovery app before it vanished.
Let’s have a look at the various ways to get your Android smartphone back to its rightful owner!
1. Track your lost Android Phone or tablet with Google’s Android Device Manager
Requirements:
Android Device Manager is a Google’s official and easy-to-use tool to track your Android phone or tablet. The best thing about it is that you don’t need to install an app to be able to track your devices. The only requirement is that your device is connected to your Google account, turned on and connected to the internet. All you need to do is visit the Android Device Manager while being logged into your Google Account. Once the site is loaded it will automatically try to track down your phone. If you have several Android devices registered, make sure the right one is chosen in the dropdown menu.
In a recent update, Google implemented some of ADM’s features into their search results page. This means that you’re able to quickly locate any registered Android device right from the search results. By using the search phrase “where is my phone”, Google displays a little map above the search results in which it will try to find your phone. Once found, you can let it ring by clicking on “Ring” at the bottom left.
Although this makes it more convenient to find your phone quickly, it won’t offer you all the options you get with the full version of Android Device Manager.
Using ADM, you are able to track your registered Android devices, let your phone ring and wipe your phone’s data (which has to be enabled manually). Besides that, ADM doesn’t offer more options to remote control your phone. I hope that Google keeps improving it and introduces more helpful features, such as taking pictures in case it got stolen and you want to take a snapshot of the person who took it.
In case there’s no laptop around when you lose your device, you can also use someone else’s Android phone to track it. Instead of using the mobile browser, you can also use the Android Device Manager app. If you the other phone doesn’t have it, simply download it here. You can sign in using the guest mode and your Google account credentials. Now you should be able to track your lost device, let it ring or wipe its data.
Are you not able to locate your phone this way? This can happen for several reasons. The one you should hope for, is that your device is simply not connected to the internet or turned off. In that case, simply keep trying to track it until it (hopefully) connects to Google’s services again.
In case it got stolen, it’s possible that the thief has disconneced your device from your Google Account. If that happens, neither Android Device Manager nor any other tracking tool will be able to locate the device, since it’s necessary to be logged into your Google Account. This doesn’t apply to previously installed tracking apps but in this scenario there are none on the phone. However, there’s one last resort but more on that later.
2. Remote control and track your smartphone with Android Lost
Track a Mobile Phone
UPDATE: Due to Android API updates, Android Lost can’t be activated remotely on devices running Android 3.0 or higher.
Requirements:
This is a more complicated way to track your phone. Basically, you need to install the tracking app ‘Android Lost’ on your phone and activate it by sending it an SMS (this can be done from any phone). How do you install something when you don’t have your phone with you? That’s very easy. You can install any app on all your registered devices directly from your browser through the Google Play website. Simply navigate to the Android Lost app and click the install button.
The remote installation process of Android Lost is very straightforward and only requires that your phone is still connected with your Google account. However, in case of theft, you have to hope that the thief doesn’t disconnect from your account.
So here’s what to do:
Install the Android Lost app remotely via Google Play in your browser and it will be installed on your phone remotely. As already mentioned, your phone still needs to be connected to your Google account. Otherwise, this won’t work.
If you are still in the possession of your smartphone or tablet then all you need to do is starting the app. But this is, obviously, probably not the case if you lost your phone. So, to register your device remotely, send an SMS with the text “androidlost register” to your phone. This SMS can be sent from any phone. This will trigger Android Lost to register itself using your Google account credentials.
If you own a tablet, SMS might not be an option. In that case, install “AndroidLost Jumpstart” before you install the actual Android Lost app. It will jump start the registration process when Android Lost is being installed.
Visit the Android Lost website and sign in using your Google account. After doing that, you should have access to all remote control features such as the following:
Note that it can take a while for the registration process to complete.
Track a Mobile Phone
I have to say that having the possibility to install and register this tool remotely makes it very powerful in case you lose your device. Unfortunately, The only negative thing I experienced is that the notification of a new app called ‘Android Lost’ could tell a potential thief about what’s going on. Unfortunately, activating Android Lost is only possible on Android Versions older than 3.0.
3. Plan B is the Android Lost alternative for devices running Android 2.0 – 2.3
Requirements:
If Android Lost is not working out for you and you’re phone is still running an older version of Android (2.0 up to 2.3) you could give Plan B from Lockout a try. Install the app directly from the Play Store (Link) to your device and, if successful, Plan B will send your device’s location to your Gmail address. It will send you a mail every 10 minutes with the current location. You can also use any other phone to send an SMS with “locate” to your phone to get the location via mail.
As already mentioned, Plan B only works with devices on Android 2.0-2.3, so it won’t work with most devices. Also, the app hasn’t been updated in a while, so I cannot guarantee that it will work.
4. Use Google Maps Location History – now called ‘Timeline’ – to track your lost Android phone (even if it’s turned off)
Requirements:
Update: Google completely overhauled the interface and user experience of its Location History tool, including giving it a new name – Your Timeline. The focus of Timeline is to help you keep track of the places you visited. Before the update, you could only see dots on a map. Now, Your Timeline actually shows you the names of the places you had been to (e.g. airports, cafes, bars …). Thanks to the better naming of your past recorded locations, finding a lost phone has become much easier. Keep reading to learn how Your Timeline can help you get your phone back.
Unlike the Android Device Manager, the Timeline feature of Google maps doesn’t focus on tracking down a lost phone. You can use your location data for many different things such as looking up past travel routes or last night’s pub crawl tour. However, it is also a good way to locate your phone.
Here’s what you need to do. Go to the Your Timeline (former Google Maps Location History) and make sure the current day is selected in the calendar. On the left sidebar, you can see a complete timeline of that day including the names all recorded locations. On the right, you can see all the locations visualised on a map.
Other than Android Device Manager, which also uses GPS for tracking, Your Timeline only uses cell tower IDs and Wi-Fi location detection to collect location data. This means that the accuracy can vary significantly.
So, how can this tool help you if you’re phone’s battery is empty? Well, before your phone died, Google might have saved its current location. That means that you might be able to find it using the last reported position in your location history.
The advantage of Timeline is the ability to track your phone’s location frequently over a period of time. If someone stole it, you could make out often visited places, which could be the thief’s home or workplace. That might help you and the authorities to catch the person.
It is recommend trying out the Android Device Manager or Android Lost first, since they’re able to use your device’s GPS and offer other useful features.
Track a Mobile Phone
5. Use Samsung’s Find My Mobile to find your phone
Requirements:
If you have a Samsung device, you might be able to find your phone using Samsung’s own tracking service ‘Find my mobile’. For this to work, you need a Samsung account and registered your device before you lost it. So try to remember if you did that.
You did? Awesome. Head over and sign in to the Find my mobile website. Check the left sidebar and make sure that your device is connected to your account. Now, all you need to do is selecting ‘Locate my device’ in the sidebar and click on the locate button. If your device is online and remote controls is enabled, you should see its approximate location. Find my mobile also allows you to do other things such as locking your device, letting it ring with a message and wiping its data.
6. How to use Dropbox to find your stolen phone (Android & iOS)
Requirements:
Dropbox can be your last resort if all other approaches don’t bring you any closer to finding your phone. For this to work, however, Dropbox needs to be installed on your phone and the “Camera Upload” feature has to be activated. This way, every time your phone’s thief takes a picture, it automatically gets uploaded to your Dropbox “Camera Uploads” folder. So, if he or she takes a nice selfie you might be able to identify the thief. And if you’re lucky, you can make out the location by looking at the background of the uploaded pictures.
Should that be impossible, simply start a blog and show the world all the pictures your thief has taken.
So far, that’s the only way Dropbox can help you. Dropbox doesn’t give you the IP address of mobile devices which are connected to your Dropbox account. This is only possible for Desktop PCs and laptops until now.
Track a Mobile Phone
This is a common scenario. Your phone is lost and its battery won’t last forever or a potential thief might have turned it off. What now? Except you’re working for the CIA, there no way to get in contact with your device. It needs to have an active internet connection to send its approximate location. However, you can use your phone’s location history to see where it was located before its internet connection stopped. For this to work, location history needs to be activated on the phone. If you didn’t do that, you don’t have another choice but wait and hope that someone turns it on and connects to the web.
Changing your Google password after you losing your phone is a totally logical thing to do right? You don’t want someone else have access to all your emails, drive documents etc. You can go ahead and change your password without losing the ability to track your device. Methods like Android Device Manager will still work. Shouldn’t you be able to locate your phone with ADM then I suggest you check the last recorded location using your phone’s location history.
That’s an easy one – No. As the name already implies, resetting a phone brings it back to its factory settings. The most important thing you need – connection to your Google account – won’t be there anymore. If you haven’t installed a tracking app with root access, such as Cerberus, then you won’t be able to locate it anymore.
Locating your phone with its unique IMEI number isn’t really possible. In some cases, the police can work together with a phone’s provider to locate it using its IMEI number. But don’t think you can just walk into a police station and expect them to do that. A more realistic thing you can do is to block your phone so that no one can use it to make calls, send texts or use the web. To do so, the best thing is to contact your provider.
By the way, you can find out your phone’s IMEI number by dialing *#06#. This code should work on most phones. Don’t have your device at hand? Here’s how to find the IMEI without having the phone.
Even if someone puts his SIM card in your phone, you might be able to locate it. Changing SIMs doesn’t disconnect it from your Google account, which is a good thing. It means that tracking tools like Android Device Manager or Android Lost should still work. The only needed thing in this scenario is that your phone keeps an internet connection.
How to track your lost iPhone or iPad without a tracking app
If you’re reading this, then I assume that you just lost your beloved iPhone or iPad or, even worse, someone stole it. Thankfully, there’s a way to track it down, lock it or wipe its data. Using the following steps -
Track down and find your lost iPhone or iPad using iCloud
Important note: If you haven’t activated “Find My iPhone / iPad / Mac” when you set up your device, this method won’t work.
Although you can download the official “Find My iPhone” app on the App Store, you don’t actually need it to track your Apple device. This means the app doesn’t have to be installed on your missing iPhone, iPad or Mac. The good thing here is that Find My iPhone is actually a cloud-based service by Apple. The app is only another way of accessing this service to locate your iPhone or other Apple devices. If you own an iPad or a second iPhone, you can also install the app and try to locate your missing device. Otherwise, all you need is a browser and your Apple ID login details.
Also, don’t be too worried that someone could disconnect your device from iCloud, turn off Find My iPhone or erase your device. If you’re on iOS7 or a later version, a feature called Activation Lock will prevent anyone from doing any of the mentioned things without your Apple ID password.
Alright, let’s get back your Apple device. Here’s what you need to do:
Track a Mobile Phone
Head over to icloud.com and log in using your Apple ID credentials. Once signed in, you should see your iCloud dashboard with different icons. Click on the “Find My iPhone” icon, which the first one in the second row. Now you should see the Find My iPhone interface, including a map.
Depending on several factors, this can take a while. Also, use the erase option as a last resort, since Find My iPhone won’t work anymore on your device afterwards.
Activating Lost Mode will lock your device with a password and display a message of your choice together with a phone number, so that a nice soul hopefully contacts you to give your iPhone, iPad or Mac back into your hands. The Lost Mode has the nifty ability to enable location services on your iPhone or iPad, in case it’s deactivated. So no need to freak out if you realised that you turned it off. It will stay enabled as long as your device is in Lost Mode.
This is basically all you have to do to track your lost Apple device. Please keep in mind that your lost device needs to be turned on and somehow connected to the internet. If mobile data is turned off and it’s not connected to WiFi, you won’t be able to track it using Find My iPhone. Your only hope is to wait and hope that the thief or someone, who found it, connects to the web. Thankfully, you don’t need to stay inside of iCloud and hit refresh all the time. If your device is offline, you can let Apple notify you once it’s back online.
Plan B: Use Google Location History (now Timeline) to find your iPhone or iPad
Note: This method only works if you have location reporting and location history enabled on your iPhone (or iPad).
You’re probably aware, that Apple and Google like to gather information about all sorts of things, including your location. Although this is an invasion of your privacy and some people intentionally disable location services on their devices, it can be very helpful when you lose your phone.
Google’s Timeline (former Location History) maps out all location data that has been collection from your iPhone. Yes, Google doesn’t only store all that location data of yours, it also makes it accessible in a very good looking interface.
Basically, you can see where you’ve been on a map. Using this tool, you can see where your lost phone was located the last time it sent its location data to Google. In case your iPhone is still on and is connected to the web, it will continue sending its location so you can see exactly where it is and go get it back. Even if it the battery is dead, you can still see its last reported location.
To see your location history do the following:
Frequently asked questions about finding your iPhone
Let me ask you the following: can you access your mobile browser and google something if your phone is off, in airplane mode or has no data connection? Correct…no you can’t. Same thing applies to tracking your phone. As long as it doesn’t have a working connection to the internet, it won’t be able to send any location data.
With Find My iPhone you can let the tool check regularly for your iPhone’s location. As soon as it goes back online (someone charges and turns it on, for example), Find My iPhone will notify you. This enables you to locate it (literally) as soon as possible. You can also check your Google Maps Timeline (see above) for your phone’s last reported location to Google.
Luckily, even if a stranger turns off location services on your iPhone, it’s still possible to locate your iPhone. With Find My iPhone you can activate the so-called ‘Lost Mode’. This activates location services on your iPhone remotely and immediately tries to locate it. It will stay activated as long as no one unlocks your device.
Bad news. Once an iPhone has been erased, it’s not possible to locate it anymore. The whole sense behind erasing a phone is to delete everything, including personal data, images, user settings and all logins (including iCloud). Without a connected iCloud or Google account, tracking isn’t possible. I recommend that you try to use your Google Maps Timeline (covered above) to get the last recorded location of your phone
In order to use Find my iPhone, you need to sign into your iCloud account. If you forgot your password, then this isn’t possible, of course. Apple makes it fairly easy to reset your Apple ID password (same one as on iCloud). All you need is your backup email account. Below you find the steps you need to follow:
In that case, ask friends or try to find a helpful stranger with an iPhone. You can track your lost iPhone using the “Find My iPhone” app on another device. Just make sure that you are signed into your own iCloud Account. Otherwise you’ll just track the iPhone you’re holding in your hand.
Protecting your phone.
1. Most important: Install a tracking app!
That’s a no-brainer. Having a tracking/anti-theft app on your phone greatly increases the chances of getting it back. There are a lot of different tracking apps but my absolute favorite is Cerberus. It offers a lot of features and is easy to set up. Some of the many options are location tracking, taking videos or pictures with both front or back camera, checking call logs, location history and wiping all data.
You can get Cerberus one week for free, after which you can purchase a lifetime license for currently 4.99€. It’s not a cheap price but but it’s money well spent.
2. Activate Android Device Manager (ADM) and Location History
Make sure that both ADM and Location History are activated. Both tools can be a great help when you lose your device. With ADM you can track your device, make it ring and erase its data. Location history shows you the last recorded locations on a map. If someone stole it, then this could help you (and local authorities) to track down the thief’s home address, for example.
To activate both services, select “Google Settings” in your app drawer. Select Security and make sure both options below “Android Device Manager” are enabled. Now, go one step back and select “Location”. Click on “Google Location History” and turn it on. Now you’re able to use ADM to track your device and Location History to see its last recorded locations.
3. Set a lock screen pattern or password
Quite a lot of people already use lock screens to keep unwanted people from accessing private files like images, texts or videos. For some people, unlocking a phone countless times a day can be quite annoying, but it’s worth it. This extra layer of security not only keeps your friends and colleagues from secretly checking out your latest images or texts.
It also prevents thieves of changing any major settings such as disabling mobile data or disconnecting your phone from your Google account. As you learned, both a working connection to the web and a connected Google account are needed to get your Android phone’s current location.
4. Install Dropbox and enable Camera Upload
Trying to get your hands on your lost phone using Dropbox can be a long shot. However, it’s always better to have more options to track down a lost phone. Scroll up, if you want to revisit how this is done with the help of Dropbox’s Camera Upload feature.