Portugal Situation Report Wednesday 21^st December 2022 

Good morning – I thought I would devote this introduction to crime prevention, as although it is a season to be jolly with the approach to Christmas (just 4 days away), it is also a time when criminals have their own way of celebrating. So let’s make it a Christmas for criminals to remember by taking simple and easy precautions that protect your home and therefore reduce the opportunities for them to celebrate.

The majority of burglaries are committed by opportunists. In the majority of cases, the culprits gain access through the rear of the property.  Very few burglaries lead to violence and the contents most sought after are cash, electronic equipment, especially computers, gold and other metal items

In terms of opportunist property crime the most frequent means of access is through open windows when the property is unoccupied. There is a simple message here spend 5 minutes before going out checking that windows and doors are closed and locked, lights switch on if at night time, cars locked if kept in a driveway or open car port.

It is important to create the impression that a property is occupied when in fact it is not. The majority of burglars do not want to be confronted by occupants for obvious reasons. Ways to create this impression are to use timers on lights and even radios, which can be set at variable times over an extended period. If the house is unoccupied over a longer period, then register it as an empty property though the GNR or PSP websites or by visiting your local police station and completing a simple pro-forma.

A neighbour visiting your home just two to three times a week, drawing curtains and moving a car in a driveway are good ways of creating a “lived in impression” as well as checking everything is OK. Return the gesture when they are away.

If you are going to be absent for a time, do not advertise the fact on social media. Posting holiday snaps to the world is a giveaway. Even in Facebook groups there are those who monitor these sites to check for opportunities, when the property maybe vacant. Related to this is posting your personal details on social media. I recall a person in the Algarve who displayed his driving licence on Facebook; an open invitation for identity theft.

During the Christmas period it is always nice to receive presents or go out and purchase something new such as a TV set or laptop etc. Take care when disposing of the packaging especially at the rubbish bins, that no receipts are left inside and your name and address is not visible on the outside of the parcel.

If you are away for some time, ensure that mail does not build up in your post box. This is a sure sign that your property is unoccupied. Ask a neighbour or friend to collect mail from the box regularly.

Our team at Safe Communities Portugal thank you for your support and wish you and your family a Very Safe and happy Christmas and New Year.

News

MAI announces that SEF restructuring will take place by March 2023

Lisbon, 20 Dec 2022 (Lusa) – The Minister of Internal Administration announced today that the restructuring of the SEF will take place during the first quarter of next year and rejected that it is about the extinction of a security service.

“We are talking about restructuring, even from a legal point of view, we should talk about restructuring the SEF, because the skills and people who have these skills will continue to work in the internal security system. What is expected is that in the first quarter of 2023 we will have the conditions for this transition to take place”, José Luís Carneiro told journalists.

The minister was speaking after the National Republican Guard, the Public Security Police, the Foreigners and Borders Service and the Judiciary Police signed four protocols that establish the model of cooperation between the security forces and services within the framework of the restructuring of the Portuguese control system of borders.

The signing of these protocols marks the beginning of the transfer of police powers to the GNR, PSP and PJ within the scope of the restructuring of the SEF.

“The security forces are now able to cooperate in police terms to ensure security and integrated border management, with a view to creating a common work culture, as happened during the summer between the PSP and the SEF”, explained José Luís Carneiro.

As part of the restructuring of the SEF, which was postponed until the creation of the Portuguese Agency for Migration and Asylum (APMA), the police competences of the Aliens and Borders Service will pass to the PSP, GNR and PJ, while the current attributions in terms of Administrative responsibility for foreign citizens will now be exercised by the APMA and the Institute of Registries and Notaries.

The restructuring of the SEF was decided by the previous Government and approved by the Assembly of the Republic in November 2021, having already been postponed twice.

Road Safety Authority warns of fraudulent emails with alleged traffic fines

Notifications of fines are sent only by mail and no indication of these emails should be followed, warns the Road Safety Authority.

The Road Safety Authority warns that fraudulent emails are being sent with alleged traffic fines taken by radar.

This entity clarifies that it only sends notifications by mail and that no indication of these emails should be followed. In addition to containing the image of the Road Safety Authority, some of these emails also have the image of the GNR and the PSP.

This is a phishing scam with the aim of obtaining data. If you have received any of this type of email and have questions, you should contact the Road Safety Authority.

2023 could be one of the hottest years ever

Experts estimate that 2023 will be the 10th consecutive year that global temperatures are at least 1°C above pre-industrial levels (between 1850 and 1900). Forecasts indicate that they are around 1.2ºC higher.

The year with the highest average global temperature since the second half of the 19th century is 2016, when the “El Niño” phenomenon was recorded in the Pacific Ocean (increase in sea temperature, leading to an increase in global temperatures).

In recent years, the opposite phenomenon has occurred, explains SKY News that is “El Niña”, with the water temperature dropping. However, and according to British meteorologists, the climate model indicates that next year an increase in temperature is expected in parts of the Pacific Ocean.

“This change will likely make the global temperature in 2023 warmer than in 2022.”

Even so, one of those responsible for the UK meteorology service, Adam Scaife, considers that 2023 will not surpass the record set for 2016.

“Without an ‘El Niño’ precedent for increasing global temperatures, 2023 may not be a record year, but with global greenhouse gas emissions rising at a rapid pace, it is likely to be another remarkable year,” he said. Scaife to Sky News.

For 2022, experts had predicted that the global temperature would be between 0.97°C and 1.21°C above pre-industrial levels. Data up to October, according to Sky News, suggest that the global average temperature is about 1.16°C above the pre-industrial era.