Violent Robbery in Alicante
A street thief in Alicante was apprehended by police after a dramatic chase during which he left a trail of banknotes from his stolen haul. The incident began when a woman was violently attacked after leaving a local casino.
The Attack and Theft
The female victim reported that she was walking to her hotel in the city centre when a man, a 46-year-old, initiated a conversation and asked for a cigarette. As she retrieved the cigarette packet from her bag, she accidentally dropped a €50 note onto the pavement.
After she continued walking a few metres, the man suddenly assaulted her, punching her in the nose and snatching her bag. The bag contained her substantial casino winnings of €5,800 (approximately £5,000), along with her personal documents, phone, and other items.
The Chase and Arrest
Officers from the Policia Nacional raced to the scene following reports of a woman being chased by a man. The victim pointed out the direction her attacker had fled, and police quickly established a cordon to block potential escape routes.
Within minutes, they spotted the suspect trying to run away. As he fled, banknotes were seen flying out of the stolen bag and onto the street. Officers successfully caught the man, who was found with the victim's bag in his hands and several banknotes stuffed into his pockets. Additional notes were retrieved from the pavement.
Authorities described the 46-year-old as uncooperative during the arrest before he was taken to a police station.
Broader Warning on Street Crime
This attack follows a recent police warning about scammers operating on the streets of Alicante. A separate criminal technique, known as 'sowing', has targeted over 50 people at cashpoints.
This distraction method typically involves two individuals. One will drop a banknote or ticket near an ATM while a person is withdrawing cash. When the victim bends down to pick it up, the other perpetrator steals the cash dispensed from the machine. In some cases, criminals also steal the victim's card after logging their PIN.
Police have recently arrested two people in connection with these ATM thefts, including a 39-year-old man allegedly responsible for stealing more than €5,400 from eight victims across some 50 cashpoints in Alicante.
Officers believe a wider organised gang is operating across Spain, in cities such as Madrid, Valencia, and Granada, and that this criminal network has also been active in the US and other European cities since at least 2019.
Police advise the public to remain vigilant and to ignore anyone who attempts to distract them by saying they have dropped something while at an ATM.
