Losing your wallet, having your phone stolen or discovering someone has used your bank card can quickly put a dampener on your holiday. The good news is that reporting certain crimes in Spain has just become much easier for many European visitors.
The Guardia Civil has expanded its online reporting service so people from 23 EU countries can now report a range of common offences without visiting a police station. Instead, they can use the same secure digital identity they already use in their home country.
The move aims to save time for visitors while helping officers deal with reports more efficiently, especially during the busy summer season.
The announcement is particularly relevant for Alicante, one of Spain’s most popular holiday destinations and home to a large international community.
What can you report online?
The service allows users to report several non-urgent crimes and incidents through the Guardia Civil’s online platform.
These include:
- Theft
- Damage to property
- Vehicle theft
- Theft from inside a vehicle
- Fraudulent bank card or electronic payment transactions
- Lost or missing documents
If the crime involved violence, threats, a known suspect or is still taking place, you should contact the emergency services or visit a police station as soon as possible.
Who can use the service?
Citizens from 23 EU countries can log in using the electronic identification system from their own country through the EU’s eIDAS framework.
British residents can also use the service if they live in Spain and have an NIE or TIE together with a recognised Spanish digital certificate.
The reporting platform is available in six languages, making it easier for international visitors to complete the process.
Why was it launched in Alicante?
Officials unveiled the expanded service at Alicante-Elche Airport, highlighting the province’s importance as one of Spain’s busiest tourist destinations.
The Guardia Civil says the new system forms part of its Safe Tourism Plan.
It hopes the online service will speed up reporting, reduce waiting times and improve the experience for the millions of overseas visitors who come to the Costa Blanca each year.
Thousands already use the service
The online reporting platform has already handled thousands of cases since it launched.
During its first year, more than 63,000 people started an online report. Officers processed over 46,000 criminal complaints and more than 8,400 reports of lost documents.
Online scams accounted for almost 60% of all reports. The specialist cyber unit also blocked more than €6.5 million linked to fraud and recovered dozens of stolen vehicles.
Need to report a crime?
If you need to report theft, property damage, vehicle crime, payment card fraud or the loss of important documents, you can use the Guardia Civil’s online reporting service 24 hours a day.
For more information, or to report a crime, head to the Guardia Civil website.
Remember, emergencies and crimes involving violence or immediate danger should always be reported by calling 112 or 062, or by visiting the nearest police station.
Bridging the Gap’s recap
- The Guardia Civil now lets citizens from 23 EU countries report certain crimes online.
- Visitors can report theft, damage, vehicle crime, payment card fraud and lost documents.
- British residents can also use the service if they have an NIE or TIE and a recognised Spanish digital certificate.
- The platform is available in six languages.
- Alicante hosted the launch because of its large international community and busy tourism industry.
- You can access the online reporting service through the Guardia Civil’s electronic headquarters.
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