Dear Editor,
After spending my usual two week villa holiday on the Algarve, which I have done for the past 15 years, sometimes twice a year, I felt I must contact you as I read your paper and know that a lot of Europeans also.
My villa holiday in Praia da Oura with Villaplus was going great as usual until the night when we were awakened with people trying to break in.
Going down the stairs at four in the morning, the living room shutters were burst open.
Villaplus reps were excellent, coming over first thing in the morning and getting repairs done. We were talking to other people in the villas next to us and theirs also had been tried.
Their rep also informed them that the four villas next to us had been broken into in the last three weeks.
After this, we did not think they (the burglars) would come back. How wrong was I, as the next night they not only burst the shutters again, they also burst away the iron bars at our back entrance to the living room window and had taken away the wood holding the glass in place.
Again we disturbed them, but they came back at six that morning to try again.
Villaplus were excellent again, bringing the police with them, who did not seem too interested. They moved us out to another villa in Galé which was much more secure.
We were talking to people there who also had their villa broke into and the safe taken from the wall. I have never been so glad to get back home as it was very frightening.
Sending this letter to you is my only way of hoping the police will sit up and take notice of what is happening, as people will stop coming to the Algarve which would be a great shame as it is a fantastic place.
For me, I do not know if I will be back again next year as the crime is getting out of hand and I certainly will not be going into a villa if I do.
I never thought I would say I was glad to be back in the UK.
Name and Address supplied
