A 20-year-old man has been remanded in provisional custody by the instruction section of the court in Torrevieja after a single-night crime spree in Guardamar del Segura, where 40 vehicles were damaged and a restaurant was broken into, the Guardia Civil confirmed.
The operation was carried out jointly by Guardamar del Segura Local Police and the local Guardia Civil post. The suspect, a man in his early twenties who has previous convictions in the town for break-ins and other offences, was arrested following the events of Thursday 15th October.
The incidents occurred along a 2.5-kilometre route spanning from Calle Arenas at the northern entrance of Guardamar del Segura to Avenida Perú in the southern section of the town centre. Although initial reports from the Local Police counted 37 damaged vehicles, a press release issued by the Guardia Civil raised the total figure to 40.
According to the police force, the suspect smashed the windows of numerous parked cars along the route to gain entry and steal whatever items he could find inside. It was noted that he was searching for objects that could be sold quickly to generate cash.
Officers managed to retrieve the tools used during the crime spree, handing them over to the Guardia Civil for fingerprint analysis to help identify the perpetrator.
A joint search operation involving both the Local Police and the Guardia Civil was launched during the early hours. One of the patrols managed to intercept the suspect, but he broke free and fled on foot. At the time, his face was obscured by a balaclava and a cap, preventing immediate identification. However, while escaping, he dropped a hammer, which was secured by officers for fingerprint testing.
The investigation progressed rapidly after the suspect attempted to break into a local restaurant by forcing open a sliding door. Security cameras inside the establishment captured a clear image of his face, allowing officers to recognise him.
Sources close to the operation confirmed the suspect is a local Guardamar del Segura resident aged around 22 or 23, well known to law enforcement, with previous prison time and drug addiction issues.
Local Police located the man later that morning and placed him under arrest just hours after the incidents took place. He was still wearing the same clothes seen in the security footage. The matching clothing and camera footage linked him directly to the crimes.
Following his arrest, the Local Police handed the suspect over to the Guardia Civil, who took charge of the legal proceedings before the court in Torrevieja ordered his remand.
