The National Police have arrested a bar owner in Elche for allegedly paying people in vulnerable situations to steal cans of food, which were subsequently served in his establishment without the appropriate controls. The arrested man, aged 65, paid just five euro for every three stolen cans.
The events took place in the El Toscar neighbourhood of Elche. The investigation began following the arrest of two other individuals for the theft of some cans, after which both revealed that the bar owner paid them to steal them.
From that point, officers carried out surveillance at the premises and witnessed how people entered with bags and later left with nothing, which was a regular practice. They also verified that the bar served the stolen cans without any kind of cold chain or sanitisation.
During a search of the bar, “a great many cans” were found without any receipt or invoice to prove their origin. Following the investigations, it was confirmed that the owner paid five euro for every three stolen cans, mostly containing preserves such as octopus or anchovies, to people in vulnerable situations, such as drug addicts, the unemployed, or those in need.
Consequently, the person responsible for the establishment was arrested as the perpetrator of the crimes of incitement to theft and against public health.
