National Police officers intercepted a suspect of Algerian nationality in Alicante, detaining him after a string of violent robberies that targeted elderly women. Two victims, aged 75 and 76, sustained injuries requiring medical care, and both cases prompted compensation claims for their medical expenses and distress.
In late November, two senior women reported a violent robbery at the National Police Station in the Northern Region of Alicante. Each described a similar incident with a near-identical account of the assailant, which helped investigators connect the two events to a single perpetrator.
Following the complaint, investigators from the Northern Territory Police Station’s Investigation Group II began gathering evidence. They reviewed multiple procedures, including the examination of security camera footage from both robberies, to reconstruct the events and identify the suspect.
The footage revealed a consistent pattern in the thief’s approach. In the first robbery, the offender positioned himself behind the victim, near the doorway as she unlocked her home. While pretending to speak on a phone, the suspect blocked the door and entered behind her, forcing the door shut after him. He forcefully grabbed the victim’s bag, triggering a struggle that ended with the bag being wrested away and the victim left in a state of severe shock, with injuries from striking the stair rail.
Evidence from the second incident showed a similar sequence. The victim spoke with another woman near a storefront when the assailant appeared from the side and yanked the gold necklace from her neck. The attack happened so quickly that the victim could not react, and the encounter resulted in a neck injury and the need for medical attention.
Thanks to the investigators’ careful analysis and recognition of a repeating pattern, the authorities confirmed that the same man had carried out both crimes. The suspect used a well-established method of operation, exploiting a predictable time of day when victims were out shopping or handling routine errands on the streets.
Resistance to arrest
A tracking and arrest operation quickly led to the suspect’s location shortly after the complaints were filed. The arrest involved a tense confrontation with police, during which an officer sustained a minor injury in the pursuit. The detainee is a 46-year-old man who had previously spent three years in a Valladolid prison and was released in November that year for another violent robbery. He then relocated to Alicante where additional offenses were attributed to him.
The police notes indicate a long history of similar incidents and point to a consistent, high-probability mode of operation, suggesting a pattern of recidivism. The suspect was referred to the courthouse after capture, with the investigation temporarily paused to determine any links to other unsolved cases.
Modus operandi
The criminal strategy in these robberies typically involves observing potential victims from a short distance before striking. The assailant uses physical force to seize valuables such as cash and mobile devices while avoiding confrontation. In some cases, the aggression results in serious injuries for victims.
After the robbery, the offenders depart quickly, using nearby streets to elude pursuit. They tend to have knowledge of urban layouts and often devise escape plans designed to reach hard-to-access areas before law enforcement can intervene.
National Police investigators specializing in these crimes rely on multidisciplinary training and maintain databases of active offenders. This combined expertise supports the identification and pursuit of offenders who exploit similar crime patterns across cities.