Mason Jones (Reporter)
A BRITISH family have been driven from their home after suffering ten years of attacks from their neighbours.
The Baker family have been forced to flee their home in Alhaurin el Grande after a string of break-ins and intimidating tactics that even included firing airgun pellets through a child’s bedroom window.
“We’ve had our front door set fire to, tyres slashed, windows broken and shot at, they are very intimidating,” said Ian Baker, 42, who runs an air conditioning business.
Over the years the family have been burgled five times and had their home attacked over a dozen times.
The final straw came when his van was set on fire two months ago.
He has now fled him home with his wife, Claire, 39, and his two children Zaria, 9, and Harry 12.
“We moved out two weeks ago and the property has already been broken into again twice,” he added.
“There seems to be no way of stopping them getting in. I have no idea what to do.”
He claims his family are the third British family to leave the street after becoming victims of a gypsy community in the Bajondillo area of the town.
He insists all attempts to talk to the group have failed.
When he saw a group of youths shooting an air-rifle towards his house he told them to pack it in. “The next thing a bullet came through my son’s window,” he said.
He has been forced to go public on the situation as the police have failed to do anything to protect his family.
“It just seems a waste of time contacting the police, there are so many break-ins in the area,” he added.
Each time he has reported it the police have done nothing, he insists. “Clearly they are very understaffed. When I called them to tell them my van had been torched they said they were busy on another job.”
They were unable to use CCTV he had installed, as the footage was not clear enough to identify the perpetrators as they set fire to his van.
Of the two other British owners who have fled, one house has been ‘completely wrecked’ while the other ‘now has gypsies living in it!’, claims Baker.
A spokesman for the town hall insisted she was unable to comment on the case. Police were also unavailable for comment.
Over the years the neighbourhood has seen various schemes to try and improve the relationship between the gypsy community and other locals.
In 2006, €180,000 was allocated to improve Bajondillo and other surrounding areas, while in 2011 Mayor Juan Martin Seron called for ‘more solidarity and social balance’ between the gypsy community and other locals.
How terribly, terribly sad. But when a town is being run by a mayor who has publicly said he is ‘anti-foreigner’, what chance do expats have? The police just don’t want to know. It’s mob rule.
And sadly, I think it will get worse until the gypsies are the ONLY occupants of that area….this will be seen as a victory!
I lived in alhaurin el grande in 1999 before the influx of some undesirable brits, it was a great place to be until bar wars started between brit bars and setting fire to their brit vans , some real scum bags ended up living here but they didnt last long.
Dont live where the gypsys live is my advice , police are scared of them. but we loved alhaurin and learnt spanish that helps.
Spanish did want to intregate with brits but probably by now too much damage has been done as well as tony king the murderer, cant blame them really .
You should contact the national tv channel, it may or may not help, but it would sure get some answers from the local council…normally by embarassing them into doing so.
This is the link to their page, where you will find the part for submitting the claim/problem/situation. If they deem it interesting (which I´m sure they will) they get in contact with you to arrange to come down with the cameras
“http://www.rtve.es/television/edirecto/denuncias/”
Very sad news, the things this family has had to endure with is pathetic on 21st century Spain. Ref spanish police well what can you say about them third world police maybe en par with spain itself. Spain still stuck back in time unable to grab hold of democracy. They are going back to the UK they will find a new uk without the gitanos but the new type of uk gitanos unfortunately. wish them best of luck.
I was a close friend of this family when I lived in Alhaurin El Grande and witnessed first hand the abuse this family suffered. Ian is a legitimate hard working man who tried to fully integrate into the community and paid his business taxes (unlike many Brits) and supported local Spanish bars and businesses, not just Brit bars. The comment from Carla about undesirable Brits is both narrow minded and not pertinent to this story of victimization and bullying by the Spanish community. I wish them all well and look forward to seeing them when I next pay a visit to Spain
Why does this not make headlines in the UK papers? If it were the other way round there’d be Hell to pay!
10 Years of attacks,….. what the heck were they waiting for?,
Should have moved out long agao, especially with 2 kids.one born at the property.
On the record, of course I sympathise with this family but really. Some Gypsies in Uk are just as bad and as for being ” territorial” well just ask little Englander how he would like to have them as neighbours. Perhaps they view Johnny foreigner in the same way…………..
“When he saw a group of youths shooting an air-rifle towards his house he told them to pack it in”. And he expected them like nice little boys back home not to retaliate……..
“They were unable to use CCTV he had installed, as the footage was not NOT CLEAR ENOUGH TO IDENTIFY THE PERPETRATORS as they set fire to his van……………So it could have been anyone, even a fellow Brit with a grudge against this
and just loved Carlas comments “I lived in alhaurin el grande in 1999 before the influx of some undesirable brits”, what the heck is an undesirable Brit……????? Carla please elucidate and vent your anger let us know how you are desirable but others are not.
Do I fit in with your desirable or not? how do I become so if not. ……and where do you get your information from Carla ? “Spanish did want to integrate with Brits but probably by now too much damage has been done as well as tony king ……….the murderer, cant blame them really”. By inference then all Brits are tarred with the same brush as Tony King……….be real woman, you are just spouting nonsense.
By the way just looked up Alhaurin el Grande, on Google and Hey what a surprise………………. “situated in the province of Malaga is a medium sized traditional market town near Coin and Alhaurin de la Torre. The town has seen one of the largest influxes of foreign migrants in Andalucia during the last 10 years. Walk down any street and you can’t fail to notice the number of British people around and a substantial number of English named shops and businesses. This is due to the fact that it is in a very central location and near the Costa del Sol so it appeals to buyers looking to live and work near the coast yet enjoy the “traditional Spanish way of life”.
Wonder why the Spanish are a bit uptight…..refer to British view points if one of ” their” towns was thus …..saturated..
Mmm sounds like you have no balls, stamina or perciverance, quite easy for you to sit and comment and say what you would of done isn’t it.!!!
Sad story. People say brits have done plenty of trouble in Spain so they are not welcome anymore. They are worse than gypsies. They get drunk, they fight and swear. They’d better off.
Julia, you make the same spelling errors as Marco. Are you related?
Tues 27th Aug The gypsy’s are moving in today! Cleared the house and are cleaning it ready for occupation. NO respect here for people or properties. Anyone know how to contact Ian?
Just phoned Ian, he is aware of what is going on, he is actually in Alhaurin this morning.
I lived in alhaurin and by undesirable I mean brits on drugs beating their wives up , bars being burnt down in bar wars, threatening police with guns,people walking about like they are on the beach. I could go on and on but wont. I do know what im talking about .
david roberts I lived there I saw it all happen , if you dont know what a undesirable brit is maybe you are one.
Im not saying this family are horrible just pointing out a few points ok