‘Tourists are a sitting target’ - victim’s mum
THE low crime rate is one of main reasons that thousands of British tourists flock to Portugal’s Algarve all year round, but after two Welsh dads were stabbed and seriously injured in separate incidents months apart, just how safe a holiday destination is it?
Both men were on stag dos in the popular resort of Albufeira, and both were attacked after they got separated from their friends.
Alex Evans was “left for dead” for around an hour between some cars and a rubbish bin on May 15.
The 33-year-old has no memories of the attack itself but when he woke up in hospital he was told he’d been robbed and knifed three times in the stomach.
And Joel Collins, a 35-year-old dad of four was stabbed at the beginning of July and remains in Faro hospital while his family struggle to get information about what exactly happened.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) says crime rates in the country are low, but does warn that pickpocketing, handbag snatching and theft from cars and holiday properties are common in major tourist areas and “can be accompanied by violence”.
But locals in the sunshine resort maintain that these crimes are extremely rare, and crime rates in the country remain generally low, and most crimes are non-violent.
In fact, in the latest Global Peace Index it was ranked fourth most peaceful country in the world.
Susan Hooper, who is originally from Cardiff, has run Johnny Hooper’s Saxophone Bistro in Albufeira for 16 years and says they haven’t seen a general increase in crime in the town.
But she says there has been a huge influx of hen and stag parties since coronavirus restrictions were lifted.
She added: “There have been probably three times as many stag and hen parties visiting Albufeira in this past 12 months, catching up with three years of postponed weddings due to Covid.
“The parties congregate mostly in The Strip area of bars in the New Town and another strip of bars in the Old Town. Even so, the atmosphere is of people just having fun, drinking, dancing and singing.
“It is tragic what happened but I think the two men from Wales were terribly unlucky – having been separated from their group, trying to make their way back to their hotel in the early hours and getting attacked by an opportunist.
“Our restaurant is situated 300m from The Strip and we often see groups of young lads headed down our street towards it.
“The likelihood of something like this happening, especially with the increased influx, is probably no more, and probably less, than might happen in any city centre in the UK late at night.”
Susan says Albufeira is a large town that covers a wide area.
“It sprawls over 10 miles from Albufeira Marina to the west, through to Olhos d’Agua in east Albufeira,” she said. “These two bar strips are just two short streets in the whole of the resort – to put things into perspective – with miles of bars and restaurants, squares and streets where families and groups of friends can have a relaxed time and feel completely safe.”
Robyn Mundy, who runs Fat Cats Holidays in the resort, agrees, saying: “Crime is not on the rise at all. Stabbings happen all the time in the UK, it’s a lot more dangerous; the minute we get two stabbings here we get bad press over it and fear spreads.
“It is completely unnecessary and we don’t want to put people off coming to the region as it’s perfectly safe.”
The advice from the FCDO is to be alert, keep sight of belongings at all times and beware of thieves using distraction techniques.
They add: “Be especially vigilant on public transport (particularly the popular numbers 15 and 28 trams in Lisbon) and at busy railway and underground stations and crowded bus and tram stops.
“Do not carry all your valuables together in handbags or pockets. Leave spare cash and valuables in a safe place.
“Avoid leaving items in an unattended car, even for a short period; if you have no alternative, hide them in the boot before you reach your destination. Remember that foreign-registered and hire cars are often targeted by thieves.”
The advice ends with a strong warning about trying to “avoid splitting up from your friends”, something the mums of both Welsh victims agree with.
Alex’s mum Bev says: “British tourists are a sitting target. We’re there in our sliders and shorts and bags over our shoulders. They can tell we’re tourists straightaway.”
Joel’s mum, Sue Bridges, who has been at his bedside in Portugal for the past three weeks, urged people on stag dos “to stick together, don’t wander off... make sure you go out together and you all go home together”.
“I don’t want this to happen to anyone else,” Ms Bridges said. “I don’t want any family to go through this again.”
The FCDO says: “If you’re going to drink, drink responsibly and know your limit and remember that drinks served in bars overseas are often much stronger than those in the UK. Avoid splitting up from your friends, and don’t go off with people you don’t know.”