It is no longer possible to report a crime over the phone in English in Spain

Victims of minor crimes in Spain will instead need to complete an online form and sign it at their local police station

In the past, anyone who was the victim of a crime had the option of phoning the National Police and reporting the incident in English, which was often a major reassurance for non-Spanish speaking tourists and expats.

Sadly, this is no longer possible and anyone wishing to report a crime over the phone will need a good command of the Spanish language. Alternatively, English speakers can notify the National Police of the incident via the ‘Virtual Complaints Office’.

To do this, victims of a minor crime will need to complete an online form, which then has to be signed, in person, at a police station within 72 hours.

The Virtual Complaints Office should NOT be used if:

The crime involved physical violence or intimidation.
You know or recognise the perpetrator / perpetrators.
You are aware of any witnesses to the crime.
You are under 18 years of age.
The crime is being committed at that moment. In this case, it should be reported immediately by calling 091 or 112.
The crime is of a sexual or violent nature.

Image: Policía Nacional

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