Jon Clarke (Publisher & Editor)AN Irish expatriate has vowed to fight against a rising spate of motorbike-muggings in Jerez.
Lavinia FitzGerald is organising a demonstration to demand the installation of CCTV, as well as extra police to patrol the streets of the city, where she has lived for three years.
Her move comes after being mugged twice in under a year by the same method.
The woman in her 40s insists that the problem is causing ‘complete anarchy’ in the town.
In the second attack, Ms FitzGerald refused to let go of her bag and was dragged along the street by the moving motorbike, until she was forced to let go.
“These muggings always seem to take place between 2pm and 6pm when businesses are closed for the siesta and it is very quiet.”
Ms FitzGerald has so far managed to put her proposals to the head of Jerez police, as well as the councillor in charge of security.
But she is furious that they have refused to install CCTV stating that it was against the law.
They also refused to put more police on the streets during siesta time.
In the second attack, Ms FitzGerald refused to let go of her bag and was dragged along the street by the moving motorbike, until she was forced to let go.
She was left bruised and shaken and was forced to go to hospital.
According to Fitzgerald, the town hall is contemplating setting up a victim support system, following the models in the UK and Ireland.
Ms Fitzgerald insists she is now organising a march to take place in November to raise awareness about the problem and petition for more police visibility.
She said: “Women should always wear their bags across the front and be particularly vigilant during the afternoon when there are fewer people around.”
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I know Ms Fitzgerald, and the article does not mention she almost suffered a third mugging but they chickened out. She is not the only person I know of who has been mugged in the Jerez old town. A pregnant friend of ours was mugged and knocked to the ground. I hope the town hall do something about security, but I’m not holding my breath. People in the country areas surrounding Jerez have been complaining about theft and even armed robbery for years and nothing appears to have been done about that…
It’s probably the council on the bikes. Isn’t Jerez bankrupt too? lol
It’s probably the council on the bikes. Isn’t Jerez bankrupt too? lol
CCTV hasnt helped crime levels in the UK where they have more per person than anywhere else in the world and also some of the most intrusive legislation. It may make you feel better to know someone is possibley watching you but it won’t stop you getting mugged and it almost certainly won’t help bring a conviction.
A large number of CCTV cameras are not switched on. Try asking the police for a CCTV image that shows you are innocent of a crime.