In Alicante, the National Police arrested a 33-year-old man accused of carrying out four robberies tied to a towing operation, including an assault on a 66-year-old woman who was simply walking down a street. The incident on San Juan beach unfolded as an elderly couple, one with Alzheimer’s, had their phone snatched while the woman spoke on the device. The suspect appeared to lose momentum when his actions were interrupted by citizen involvement, and a nearby teacher accompanying students gave chase and began recording the event to aid authorities.
According to the Provincial Police Station, the series of thefts occurred on a busy street in the San Juan beach area last week. An elderly woman, accompanied by her husband who has dementia, was grabbed from behind as she was distracted by a phone call, and the thief unexpectedly seized the device.
In the moment of flight, the assailant managed to escape and blend into the crowd. The victim cried out for help, drawing attention from passersby. A teacher touring the area with his class sprang into action, pursuing the thief without hesitation and recording the pursuit on a mobile phone to preserve evidence for investigators.
That footage reached the National Police via a public tip, which accelerated the search. The police quickly activated a broad search strategy with the assistance of service teams.
The effort paid off when officers located a person nearby whose appearance and clothing matched the individual seen in the video captured by the professor. The suspect, described as tired and breathless, was found with a high-end mobile phone whose characteristics matched the device stolen from the victim. The location of the arrest was confirmed by the Alicante Northern Regional Police Station.
The recovered phone was positively identified by the original owner, who confirmed it as hers. The subsequent investigation led to charges against the same suspect for three additional robberies committed near care centers and health facilities in the same district during the previous month.
In those incidents, elderly targets were approached and surprised, with belongings forcibly taken. One victim, a 70-year-old woman, sustained an injury when the attacker knocked her down during the theft.
The arrested individual, a 33-year-old Algerian national, had no prior police record in Spain and was brought to justice after the court proceedings.
The National Police expressed gratitude to the citizens who witnessed the acts and provided crucial information, noting that timely reporting often plays a decisive role in solving cases and protecting the public. Citizens are reminded to prioritize personal safety and to cooperate with authorities when a crime is taking place, without risking their own wellbeing. [Citation: National Police]