Dream holiday turns into nightmare in seconds as couple left stranded in Spain
Anna Higginbottom, 27, and her partner Peter Lesisz, 26, were left stranded in Spain when their vehicle was ransacked in Bilbao just as they were preparing to return to Scotland via ferry from Bilbao to Portsmouth.
The couple had spent the night at a hostel in Bilbao on Monday (July 7), and say they were told the car park was secure and monitored by CCTV, reports The Manchester Evening News.
But, to their horror, they discovered the next morning that their car had been broken into and emptied by thieves.
"We've been left with only our phones and each other," Anna, a holistic wellness coach, said.
"It's a disaster. We have nothing left. We're just completely devastated."
Peter, who runs Alpine Performance, lost approximately £55,000 (approximately €63,500) worth of specialist car tuning equipment, crucial for his business, including pen drives containing years of custom engine software files.
"Peter's worked years to build this business," Anna shared. "That equipment isn't just expensive - it's his entire livelihood. He's one of the best in the UK at what he does.
"He has not stopped crying. I've never seen him like this. It's heartbreaking."
Anna also suffered significant losses, with around £5,000 (approximately €6,000) worth of jewellery, clothing, and irreplaceable items from her late mother taken in the heist.
She said: "That's what hurts most. The sentimental things - they're just gone. They can't be replaced."
The theft also included Peter's passport, resulting in the couple missing their scheduled ferry.
Now, Peter faces a 10-hour return journey to Madrid to secure a temporary passport after being lent cash by relatives.
In the meantime, the duo have had to turn to Spanish social services for emergency accommodation and supplies.
Anna added: "The police haven't helped us. There's such a language barrier. We've had to do our own investigation. One of my cards was used locally, and we even found the shop. They told us that it was a Moroccan man.
"We're terrified that the longer this goes on, the less chance we have of seeing our stuff again."
The couple say they have even ventured into known dangerous neighbourhoods to track down the thieves themselves.
"Locals warned us we could be stabbed or attacked if we went looking in these areas, so we're scared and out of options," Anna continued.
"We have done everything we can, but we don't want to put our lives at risk doing our own investigation."
Taking to social media in a plea for help, the couple started a GoFundMe page, hoping to recoup some of their losses.
Anna penned on the fundraising site: "We never thought we'd be in this position. Even £5 would mean the world."
For those who wish to help Peter and Anna, their GoFundMe page can be accessed here.
The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week
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