When the burglars broke into a hotel room in Spain, the two mothers caught them in the act and sent them packing. Becca Farley, 27, was staying at the magical tropical splash in Benidorm when she caught a stranger in her room with her partner, 11-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son.
The family from Eastleigh, Hampshire paid £2,500 for a week's stay. Last night, signing a blackout warning around the hotel, Becca went to the room to charge her phone before returning home. “When I got to the elevator, these two teenagers just got on the lift with me and pushed my floor level,” she said. “To be honest, I didn't think about anything because there were five rooms on the floor so I thought they'd go to one of them.” The teens stepped in front of her and walked straight to her room. It had a shoe with an open door. “I obviously thought I got off the wrong floor.
“It happened quickly and they just took a straight walk into my room. Then I followed them. I don't have one because you hear a horror story, so I think it's sour.
One of the intruders began screaming at her in Spanish, and Becca cried out: “Get out f***, give f***, give f***, give f***.” They came back a few minutes later and slammed on the door while she left her locked inside. “I was absolutely stoned,” she said.
“I know it sounds stupid, and people know you're saying you should do this, you should have locked them in a room, you should have decorated them, but at that moment I think it was just that invasion of privacy.
“This is what we were really shaking because when you were away, you were away from home, we don't travel often, and that night I didn't sleep because I was still at all the noise.
Becca reported the incident to hotel security. It was when she discovered that another family had experienced a similar break-in and her passport, watch and other valuables had been stolen. Now she warns other tourists planning a visit to Spain:
“We certainly go on holidays again. That's not a case where we'll never go abroad again, but if you're the only woman, be careful.
“It's okay, but I think that's just the case that you have a little more of your wisdom. If you go on the holidays, you tend to relax and be a little naive in these situations.”
She also recommends locking valuables into a suitcase with a padlock. “It obviously keeps your valuables safe,” she said. “Some people say they don’t use safes, we personally lock everything and padlock them in our suitcases.
“I think it's just that you have your wisdom about you and knowing that you won't be comfortable in places you've never been to before.”
She plans to continue her trip, but Becca said she's now taking extra precautions. “I'm thinking of getting a webcam that I can put in my room the next time I leave, and I'll keep locking my own.
“I'm sure I'll never have a cleaner in my room again. I don't say it's definitely them, but they have access to your room. I don't know if I'll feel comfortable going to my room again.”
We are contacting the Magic Tropical Splash Hotel for comments.
