This week, Kolbjørn Hoseth Larssen and his wife Trude Iversen from Vesterålen are on a family holiday in Playa Flamenca in Villamartin, south of Torrevieja in Spain.
Svein Roar Martinsen and his family are also on the same trip. Together, they are a travel party of 15 people, small and large.
This week, they experienced being robbed while lying asleep in the rented apartment.
– It started Monday morning when the youngest woke up early. He got up to look at his tablet, but did not find it, says Kolbjørn Hoseth Larssen on the phone from Spain to TV 2.
He and his wife got up and started looking. Suddenly they discovered that the cover of the tablet was out on the terrace. Strangely enough, they also found the wife’s wallet.
– It is empty of money, but all the cards are there, says Hoseth Larssen.
Disgusting and uncomfortable
They went back in and saw that much more had disappeared. A total of three tablets, two cameras, an Iphone and money were stolen.
Then they decided to go over to the Martinsen family, who live next door, to ask if they had seen anything suspicious.
– When we get there, we see that there is a bag on their terrace. It was emptied of all valuables, says Hoseth Larssen.
Upon closer inspection, it turns out that the Martinsen family has also had their valuables stolen during the night.
Everything from branded clothing, money and electronics such as Airpods and several tablets are gone.
– LITTLE HELP: The local police came, but regretted that it could not help the two families who had been robbed by criminals. Photo: Private
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– It is disgusting and unpleasant to think that someone has broken into our apartments while we were asleep, says Hoseth Larssen.
Svein Roar Martinsen agrees.
– It’s a little scary to think about. We have lost some of our assets and some pictures that cannot be replaced. This has now taken away part of the freedom of being on holiday, says Svein Roar Martinsen.
Organized and planned
The night before, they sat up until after two o’clock at night. This evening, Svein Roar Martinsen’s wife also lay down on the sofa in the living room to sleep.
She slept there at the same time as unauthorized persons broke into the apartment.
– It’s uncomfortable that bandits have been there. That she was in the living room is probably also contributing to some technical equipment still being here, Martinsen says.
They have rented apartments on Airbnb. In total, there are around 40 apartments in the same area.
Kolbjørn Hoseth Larssen is convinced that the two families were not accidental victims.
– It all seems very well planned and organized. It seems that the perpetrators have been spying on us. This has happened inside an area that is fenced with a lock, and which we thought was safe, he says.
They are convinced that the sliding doors from the terrace and into the apartments were locked when they went in to go to bed.
On closer inspection, we see that tools have been used on the sliding doors to be able to break in, he says.
– ON HOLIDAY: The Hoseth Larsen / Iversen and Martinsen families are now trying to enjoy the rest of the holiday as much as possible. Photo: Private
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– It’s scary to think about how easily they got in. You get more thoughts in your head. What if we had caught them in the act? Were they many, and what if they had weapons ?, Martinsen asks.
The two families contacted the local police who came to the apartments. There was little help to be had.
– They could not even take a closer look at the doors that had been broken open. They just asked what had happened. They explained that they apologized, and that they could not do anything more, says Svein Roar Martinsen.
When they went to the police station to report the thefts, they got another shock.
Not surprised
At the station there was a bit of a pressure with desperate tourists in the same situation.
– There we met several Norwegians, Swedes and Danes. We were told that there were several Norwegians in the same area who have experienced and been robbed in the same way as us, says Hoseth Larssen.
There are great values that are gone.
– I think the police probably know that we Norwegians are well insured, so then it is only paperwork to be able to show to the insurance company, Martinsen stated.
Editor Terje Aspdahl of SpaniaAvisen.no is not surprised.
– These are organized criminals who attack many at the same time. When new Norwegians or tourists come here, they are often exposed to burglary. I’m sure they’ve been monitored and spied on. It is professionally done, and they take what is easily negotiable, says Aspdahl.
He has not heard anything about a new wave of thefts that is underway in and around the holiday paradise Torrevieja now.
– WARNING: – It has been several years without tourists now, and when Norwegians return, so do the criminals, says Terje Aspdal, editor of SpaniaAvisen Photo: Private
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– These are the first two incidents I have heard about this season, but then it has been two years of pandemic and few Norwegians and tourists. It is only now when there is a sharp increase in holidaymakers that the interest from the criminals also increases, says Aspdahl.
– Do you have any advice for holidaying Norwegians?
– Norwegians and tourists must be more attentive. It is easy to forget when you are on holiday. You overlook the most basic things even when you are in the store, says Terje Aspdahl, editor of SpaniaAvisen.
Sharp increase
The insurance company Gjensidige notices very well that Norwegians have started holidaying again.
– We see that there has been a sharp increase in cases where Norwegians have been robbed or scammed. What we also see is that the thieves have become more rude and take more chances now than before, says Arne Voll, communications manager at Gjensidige.
Tourism has been down for two years, but now both tourists and criminals are back.
– Bands are very well organized and cooperate. They know that Norwegians have a lot of values with them on holiday and that they are therefore very attractive to thieves abroad, says Voll.
He has clear advice.
– Do not wave the “flag” that you are Norwegian. Leave your most expensive things at home when you go on holiday, and do not leave your mobile phone in a visible place. Remember that a telephone has great values, says Arne Voll, communications manager at Gjensidige.
A few days after the incident, the Hoseth Larssen / Iversen and Martinsen families are still affected by what has happened.
Still embossed
– I was a little shaky the next day. You start thinking afterwards that there have been people inside our apartment. Now I’m more angry that someone can do something like that. It does something with the feeling of security, says Kolbjørn Hoseth Larssen.
– I see that the young people have become more careful. They are not allowed to sleep until they are absolutely sure that everything that can be locked is locked. It’s scary to think about how easily they got in, says Svein Roar Martinsen.
The family praises the insurance company for good help.
– The insurance company Tryg has asked us to relax and enjoy the rest of the holiday. They were very understanding of the situation we have ended up in, says Hoseth Larssen.
As if this is not enough.
The return trip next week is with striking SAS, and if there is no solution there, they can have major problems getting home.
– We take that concern then. Now we will try to enjoy the rest of the holiday, says Hoseth Larssen.
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