Just to remind people who maybe driving around or from Barcelona to keep a sharp eye out for the thieves who will point to your car as if something is wrong, then when you stop to investigate they will rob you.
They are active at the moment. Just yesterday two women travelling to the local area were robbed.
They mainly though not exclusively target women especially in foreign reg cars. If you have any friends or family driving here please make them aware.

cheers smidge, will be keeping my eyes out for them if i can keep my eyes open by the time im near barca!!  :o

They normally will take you away from the passenger side of the car to point out the " Fault" on your vehicle whilst one of their number will sneak and open the passenger door and take valuables from within.Ladies normally leave their handbags in the footwell of the car and that is their target. These people operate in gangs and may travel in two or three vehicles .Many couples have lost airline tickets,Money and passports etc this way.Think of the drama this would cause on your way home/Start of your holiday. You will be surprised after all the publicity with regards this type of theft people fall for it every day. These acts are theft , and only become a robbery if an act of violence is used to effect that theft. If you are worried always drive to the nearest service area just in case your back wheel is loose. Remember do not all pile out of the car to look   :-[

So here is a little clip from Dave (In his M&S loafers) and the UK Gov.  8-)

https://www.gov.uk/government/world-location-news/holidaymakers-warned-to-watch-out-for-highway-robbers-in-spain

Most people think it will not happen to them. I know three different sets of people it happened to. They all thought something like this would not happen to them. One of the people actually knew all about the problem & to this day cannot understand how she fell for it.  >:(

I thought it wouldn't happen to me. I was travelling down with my 17 year old daughter in my 7 1/2 ton lorry when we stopped at the services just north of tarragona (which I since found out is notorious for this). We made sure nothing was in view I. The cab and I pulled up between two other lorries right in front of the fuel pumps. The drivers side window was smashed and the thief crawled through all the broken glass to get my daughters ballet shoes, her uni cards and her iPhone charger. She (as we later found out ) missed my £600 sat nav, the iPhone itself, and numerous other stuff of value.
The police were very helpful. The service station was NOT. Their cameras don't work???
The lorry driver who was in his cab beside my lorry saw the girl aged about 8 or 9  get out of the passenger door right in front of him, but couldn't describe her ?? 
We got everything back in the end, except the ballet shoes, but the inconvenience was unbelievable. Try following a police car through the back streets of tarragona in a massive lorry.
Take care, I always will........now

By the way, the shoes worth maybe a couple of quid cost me 268€ for a new side window.

"We are working with the Spanish police to alert British visitors to how these gangs work," Very good. The thieves seem to be working the road without with impunity. There is cctv all over the place why is this activity not stopped by the police?  >:(

that's horrible. people passing through there should be more alert. it's no need to go there unless you are in urgent.Samsung Galaxy S6 cover