Crimewatch

Good to see that the Guardia Civil at the Airport are as vigilant as ever as they discover a cocaine smuggler and the credit card fraudsters. What is does highlight is the rapid communication between banks and the police when a credit card has been reported missing or misused.

Alcudia and the Port of Alcudia – Theft

Three men aged 24, 25 and 26, were arrested and charged with committing 10 robberies in the town of Alcudia and the Port of Alcudia. During the robberies the three detainees had stolen a total of €3,000 from cash registers in the shops and caused extensive damage.

Palma – Burglaries

Over € 300,000 worth of ancient coins from the Greek, pre-Roman, Roman, Sesterces, and Punic periods were stolen by the three Spanish males who were arrested. Two of the detainees were aged 36 and the third aged 38, and all were from the areas of Solitude, Son Sardina and Pere Garau in Palma. Some coins were individually valued at €15,000 each! Other effects such as jewellery, money, electronic items, computers and flat screen televisions were also stolen by the gang. Some of the stolen property valued at several thousand Euros was also located at a house in La Soledad de Palma. Additionally, in the latter property a quantity of marijuana and equipment for the cultivation of the drug was also discovered. The investigation is still ongoing and further arrests are expected.

Santa Eulalia (Ibiza) – Credit Card Fraud

A 40 year old Spanish male was arrested on suspicion of the theft and fraudulent use of a credit card. The detainee had stolen the credit card from his employer and illegally withdrawn €500 from an ATM in Santa Eulalia taking advantage of the fact that he knew the PIN number of the card!

Palma Airport – Smuggling Cocaine

The Guardia Civil at Palma Airport noticed a 31 year old Dominican woman behaving suspiciously at a passenger checkpoint for new arrivals. Cocaine was subsequently discovered in her luggage and after a medical check, more was found within her body! A total of 1,130 grams of cocaine was seized and the woman appropriately charged. (The container was not part of the discovery!)

Palma Airport – Fraudulent use of Credit Card

A 31 year old Spanish male was arrested at the boarding gate of Palma Airport after the Guardia Civil had discovered he had fraudulently used a credit card to pay for air travel and other items to the value of €789,49.

Cala Ratjada – Theft

After a number of thefts were committed in a perfumery in Cala Ratjada, a security guard noticed that two women had hidden perfume bottles in a handbag. The Guardia Civil were called to the scene and subsequently arrested all three who were charged with a series of thefts from the perfumery over several days.

Road from Puerto de Alcudia to Palma – Driving without a licence

A 29 year old Spanish male was stopped and arrested at a Guardia Civil alcohol checkpoint on the road from Palma to the Port of Alcudia after a check of his documents revealed that he had escaped from prison and was also driving without a valid driving licence, it having previously been suspended for two years.

Sant Lluís (Menorca) – Robbery

Since last summer the Guardia Civil have been deploying a large police presence in Menorca to combat the increase in thefts from vehicles. Consequently, after several neighbours in the town of Sant Lluís reported that effects had been stolen from their motor vehicles, the Guardia mounted a surveillance operation and caught the perpetrator who was subsequently charged with several robberies. Following his arrest a vast majority of the stolen goods valued in excess of €1,000 have been recovered.

Advice

It is getting close to that time again when our visitors arrive and want to see the Island. Consequently, it is appropriate for us to remind them when the park their hire cars not to leave valuables lying around inside for the crooks to steal. Ask them to save themselves some heartache and put the items in the boot out of site and then ensure that they have locked the doors! It all takes but a minute but if these vital actions are not done, it could be hours or days of heartache and a ruined holiday!

For the rest of us, we need to be alert to our surroundings. Remember, if it does not look right it usually isn’t.

REPORT IT.