A resident of Playa Blanca, Lanzarote, has spoken out after returning from a business trip to discover her home had been completely emptied of its contents in what she described as a shocking and brazen burglary.
The woman, who lives on the Vista Lobos estate with her husband and children, returned on 14th March after being away for a month, only to find their house ransacked. “When I got back, everything was gone, they took the dishwasher, washing machine, fridge, sofa, electric scooter... everything,” she said.
The Vista Lobos estate, which lacks a gated entrance or dedicated security personnel, allows open access to both residents and non-residents. Poor street lighting further exacerbates the estate’s vulnerability to crime.
During the couple’s absence, a neighbour became suspicious after noticing unusual activity and items left outside the property. Concerned, the homeowner arranged for a friend to inspect the house. Upon arrival, he discovered the front door lock had been tampered with and, with her permission, replaced it to secure the property until the family’s return.
However, the damage had already been done. “They took everything except the beds, which had been moved out onto the terrace,” she explained. “They even stole a large dining table brought over from the mainland which can’t be dismantled.”
The house had no alarm system installed at the time, and the burglary appears to have been meticulously carried out. Although every cupboard was emptied, the beds remained made with sheets and blankets still in place, suggesting the property had not been used as a temporary squat.
The resident has since reported the incident to the Guardia Civil, but she expressed frustration over what she sees as a lack of thorough investigation, claiming that officers did not carry out fingerprint analysis or other basic forensic checks.
She also raised concerns about the wider security situation on the estate, noting that some properties operate as unregistered holiday rentals and that one company even advertises spiritual retreats in the area. She criticised certain homeowners who rent out properties for tourism but refuse to invest in basic security measures such as surveillance cameras, despite owning sizeable homes.
Following the ordeal, the woman and her children relocated to her mother’s home in Madrid, saying they no longer felt safe staying in Lanzarote. She is now calling for urgent improvements to estate security, including better lighting, gated access, and the removal of a community map near the entrance which currently displays all access routes, something she believes could be exploited by potential intruders.
“This could have been prevented,” she said. “We need to take security seriously before it happens to someone else.”
