A British tourist’s horror experience in Benidorm, Spain, has led to police issuing a travel warning – the tourist was targetted as he returned to his holiday apartment in the early hours of the morning.
A British tourist’s nightmarish travel experience has led police in Benidorm, Spain, to issue an urgent warning to anyone planning on visiting the Costa Blanca resort town.
Three men have been apprehended in Benidorm after the tourist’s bank cards were stolen and used nine times in less than 20 minutes. The tourist was targeted near the town’s infamous Muggers’ Alley, located off Gerona Street next to the local tourist police station. The arrests were made after the victim received notifications on his mobile about the usage of his cards at various bars and restaurants around the town, leading detectives to one of these locations.
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Among those arrested were the alleged pickpocket, a getaway driver, and a third suspect who managed an unnamed bar where the Brit’s stolen cards had been charged.
In light of recent events, police issued a warning to tourists visiting Benidorm this Easter, advising: “Always keep an eye on your personal belongings, especially in crowded areas. Do NOT keep cell phones or wallets in back pockets or easily accessible areas. Be wary of strangers who approach you with vague excuses or exaggerated gestures. In the event of a robbery, do not confront the offender directly and notify the police immediately.”
A spokesperson for the National Police confirmed the victim in this latest incident was a British tourist, and stated: “Three men have been arrested as suspected members of a criminal gang specialising in stealing wallets and subsequently using credit cards in card reader machines in an establishment where one of them worked.”
The arrests took place just 20 minutes after the victim’s wallet containing the cards had been swiped. According to the spokesperson: “The tourist was targeted as he returned to his holiday apartment in the early hours of the morning.”
The thief engaged him in conversation as a distraction, then swiped his wallet from his trouser pocket before making a swift exit in a high-powered vehicle driven by an accomplice.
“The holidaymaker raised the alarm and officers were deployed to bars and cafes in Benidorm’s Old Town and other areas where the victim was receiving notifications on his mobile phone to say charges were being made on his cards,” the spokesperson added.
“The police operation led to the location of a vehicle believed to be the one the criminals had used as a getaway car, outside a premises which coincided with one of the last places the holidaymaker’s cards had been used.”
Police cordoned off the area and spotted three men engaged in conversation inside, two of whom attempted to make a hasty exit as officers entered. Police said: “One when searched had a product he had bought inside, as well as dollars, Brazilian Reais and pound notes in his pockets.”
Another officer noticed how the third suspect, the manager of the premises, moved away from the counter and tossed four pieces of what looked like a bank card into a corner. Officers recovered those fragments and discovered it was one of the victim’s cards.
The spokesperson went on: “Next to the three card readers on the counter were card receipts coinciding with purchases made on the victim’s card as well as €2,610 inside the till when the official turnover that day was showing up as just EUROS three.”
The three individuals were arrested on suspicion of theft, fraud, money laundering and being part of a criminal gang. It is believed they have already faced a judge, though it remains unclear as of this morning whether they have been held in custody or released on bail.
Over the weekend, officers announced the arrest of 21 individuals involved in ‘loving hug’ robberies across Spain, targeting male victims. This followed an investigation triggered by a violent incident in Benidorm, where a woman allegedly snatched a watch from a man’s wrist after embracing him. The investigation led to the capture of a predominantly Romanian gang.