Drunk suspect mistaken for victim turns out to be Mallorca airport thief

The incident unfolded around 11pm in Palma, when staff at a local bar raised the alarm after spotting a heavily intoxicated man asleep at a table. According to witnesses, the man had arrived carrying a suitcase and had placed a large sum of money on the table before passing out, leaving his belongings in full view. Concerned that he might fall prey to thieves, staff contacted the police to assist him.

Officers from the Local Police arrived at the scene to find the man still fast asleep, clearly under the influence of alcohol. Next to him were a suitcase and over 1,200€ in cash, as well as a significant amount of money in Indian rupees. Finding the situation suspicious, police opened the suitcase to examine its contents.

Inside, they discovered two Indian passports, a laptop, a mobile phone, a charger, and further sums of cash in euros, rupees, and US dollars. Officers immediately contacted the central reporting office to establish whether a theft matching these items had been reported. Their suspicions were confirmed when they learned that, earlier that same day, a tourist had reported the theft of his passport and belongings at Palma Airport.

With the pieces of the puzzle now in place, police realised they were dealing not with a potential victim but with the actual thief. The case was handed over to the National Police, who took the man into custody.

Unfortunately, the stolen suitcase could not be returned to its rightful owner straight away, as the victim had already left the country. However, authorities have confirmed that his belongings will be returned to him in due course through the relevant consular channels.