Fake parking attendants: street extortion soars in Andalusia, Spain
Three fake parking attendants in four days in Andalusia, Spain, one with a boat licence and another in a wheelchair. Extortion at car parks is growing while the police look the other way.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Fake parking attendants: a boat licence as the new credential for parking
How many recreational boat licences will it take before the police act? In a town in Andalusia, a fake parking attendant showed exactly that as identification. The man, who claimed to work for the local council, also carried a pending disability benefit certificate. When he saw a patrol car, he ran off. The accounts keep piling up: three fake attendants in four days, one in a wheelchair wearing a high-visibility jacket.
The parallel business of car parks
The spread of these extortionists is no accident. In several coastal towns, councils have legalised the figure of the parking attendant through concessions to private companies that exploit empty lots. They charge 3 euros per parking space and issue a receipt. The workers are usually people with disabilities, hired at 800 euros a month to qualify for subsidies. The contrast with the fake attendants is obvious: they have no concession, give no receipts and resort to intimidation.
The police response, under suspicion
Victims complain that, even when they manage to reach the police, no action is taken. One affected man in a village in Cádiz says that, after calling, the officers did nothing. The sense of impunity is fuelling the growth of the phenomenon. Meanwhile, fake attendants keep innovating: from nautical licences to disability documents used as supposed credentials.
The latest irony: in Seville, where official parking attendants are almost an institution, the fakes are multiplying to exploit the legal vacuum. What's next? Requiring an accredited course to become a fake attendant. Or maybe a yacht master's licence.
Related discussions in the forum
How many recreational boat licences will it take before the police act? In a town in Andalusia, a fake parking attendant showed exactly that as identification. The man, who claimed to work for the local council, also carried a pending disability benefit certificate. When he saw a patrol car, he ran off. The accounts keep piling up: three fake attendants in four days, one in a wheelchair wearing a high-visibility jacket.
The parallel business of car parks
The spread of these extortionists is no accident. In several coastal towns, councils have legalised the figure of the parking attendant through concessions to private companies that exploit empty lots. They charge 3 euros per parking space and issue a receipt. The workers are usually people with disabilities, hired at 800 euros a month to qualify for subsidies. The contrast with the fake attendants is obvious: they have no concession, give no receipts and resort to intimidation.
The police response, under suspicion
Victims complain that, even when they manage to reach the police, no action is taken. One affected man in a village in Cádiz says that, after calling, the officers did nothing. The sense of impunity is fuelling the growth of the phenomenon. Meanwhile, fake attendants keep innovating: from nautical licences to disability documents used as supposed credentials.
The latest irony: in Seville, where official parking attendants are almost an institution, the fakes are multiplying to exploit the legal vacuum. What's next? Requiring an accredited course to become a fake attendant. Or maybe a yacht master's licence.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (12 replies).
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