Lagos attacks

Dear Editor,
We have been coming to the Algarve since 1985 and now own a villa at Parque da Floresta.
I am here for a long weekend with my son and friends golfing and boating.
On Saturday night, I went to Lagos with my son Jonathan, aged 24, and friend Alex, aged 27.
I left about 2am but they stayed and left a bar about 3am. They were befriended by a group of about 10 Portuguese guys.
They all set off to the taxi rank with my son ahead chatting to one of the guys.
They went round a corner and Alex did not follow so Jonathan went back.
Alex was unconscious on the floor and nobody seemed to know why.
Jonathan and the guy he had been talking to helped Alex to a shop step and got him water.
Jonathan continued to ask questions but turned around and Alex had gone. The other guys said they had seen him go a certain way so they set off after him.
They got to the fountain in the centre of Lagos and the guy who had been chatting to Jonathan grabbed his arms behind his back and two other guys beat him senseless. They stole his wallet and mobile.
Alex and Jonathan arrived home separately. Alex suffered a swollen jaw and cut to the back of his head.
Jonathan spent a night in hospital with concussion, a cut to the back of his head that required stitches and a severely bruised face.
The doctor said that this is happening a lot in Lagos!
The police know this goes on but said that local people do not cooperate with them.
For years I have said that Lagos is safe and I have felt comfortable letting my son and daughter go there at night. How wrong was I!
The police need to be out on the streets at the known problem areas!
Tourists need to be aware of the dangers and it should not be brushed under the carpet to protect tourism!
Andrew B.
By email