A man was arrested in Elche by National Police and local officers after allegedly extorting several visitors with threats of violence and a large kitchen knife, demanding money from them.
The incident began when three groups of Dutch tourists, strolling through the city, contacted the emergency number 112 to report a man approaching them with a knife and demanding money. The weapon described was a sizeable kitchen knife.
091 and 092
Responding officers were alerted as soon as the call came in. Units from the National Police, along with representatives of the Elche Local Police, coordinated the response through the 091 line and by telephone 092, reaching the scene swiftly.
On arrival, officers from the Elche Citizen Security brigade and the local force verified that the suspect had threatened the tourists. He fled the area, discarding the knife into a nearby trash can before he could be apprehended.
paper box
The tourists provided officers with a description of the man’s clothing and physical appearance and pointed out the trash can where the knife had been discarded. The weapon was recovered by the investigators at the location described by the witnesses.
A few minutes later, National Police officers located the suspect a short distance from the scene. He was found on a street nearby and, when confronted, allegedly admitted his intent: he said he only wanted money and that the knife was not intended to be used for violence.
Following the confrontation, the man was detained on suspicion of extortion through violence and intimidation. The 41-year-old, who holds Spanish nationality, was placed in the custody of the court in Elche on guard duty for further proceedings.
The case is being handled by local and national authorities as part of ongoing efforts to ensure public safety for residents and visitors in Elche and across the province.