Local police in Marbella have to remove an average of 50 abandoned vehicles from the town’s streets every month. In 2009, 580 cars were taken to the municipal pound, more than a third of the reports initiated when cars were found in the streets in poor conditions and with signs of not being used. A report doesn’t always result in the car being towed away because sometimes the red tape can take several months, guaranteeing that owners who have not abandoned their vehicle will not see it taken away for no reason.When a vehicle is found which is considered to be abandoned, the owner is notified and given a period of time to move it. If the owner cannot be found, a notification is published in the Official Provincial Bulletin. However, if a car can obviously no longer be driven or if it represents a danger to other drivers, it can be removed immediately and taken to the pound.

Owners who abandon their vehicles can be fined up to 750 euros.