A 48-year-old Spanish male has been apprehended by National Police officers in Elda (Alicante) for the knife-point robbery of four commercial establishments in the city centre. Local merchants and residents were alarmed by the circumstances. The incident has been a cause for alarm, according to sources from the National Police.

The assailant entered the stores and wielded a dagger, which, according to National Police sources, he used to threaten the employees of the establishments. The robberies were consistently committed on Saturday afternoons in establishments that were open to the public and were situated in close proximity to each other.

The assailant nervously brandished the dagger and threatened to stab the victims if they resisted, according to police investigations. Nevertheless, officers have reported that he even threatened to amputate a persons finger during one of the assaults.

The police were led to believe that the perpetrator of all four cases may be the same after two additional commercial robberies occurred in the same area the following Saturday, one week after the initial two.

The officers continued their investigation in order to identify the perpetrator of the Elda business robberies. They also discovered additional alleged attempted robberies at establishments in the town, which the perpetrator failed to carry out for a variety of reasons after it was discovered that he had been monitoring businesses similar to those assaulted.

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Ultimately, the suspected perpetrator of the robberies was identified by the officers as a 48-year-old Spanish man. After successfully tracking him down, they apprehended him. He is currently facing charges for four knife-related stabbings. The suspect has been hauled before the Elda Duty Court.

The Department of Tourism has declared the schedule for the lifeguard service on the beaches of Elche during Holy Week in order to guarantee the safety of beachgoers.

Irene Ruiz, the councillor for the area, has announced that the service will be inaugurated on the eve of Palm Sunday, April 12th, Saturday. The service will consist of four first-aid stations located on the beaches of El Altet, Arenales del Sol Centro, Carabassí, and La Marina.

A general coordinator, two boat skippers, ten lifeguards, and four emergency medical technicians will be among the 17 professionals who will be on duty. The deployment of two rescue vessels will occur in two distinct regions: El Altet-Los Arenales del Sol-El Carabassí and El Pinet-La Marina-Les Pesqueres/Rebollo. Furthermore, the first-aid facilities in Arenales del Sol Centro and La Marina will have access to two ambulances.

The special Easter service will be extended until April 21st, the first Monday of Easter, and will be conducted from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The lifeguard service will maintain its current schedule for the following weekends: April 26th, 27th, and 28th; May 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th; and May 17th, 18th, 24th, 25th, and 31st).

Arenales del Sol Sur, Carabassí, El Pinet, La Marina, and El Rebollo will be included in the expansion of first-aid stations, which will now number seven. Additionally, the personnel will increase to 31st in June. In addition, the hours will be extended from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. in June and until 8:00 p.m. in July and August. The service will be available on weekends until October 12th in September and October.

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Furthermore, the tourist information offices at La Marina and the Arenales del Sol Social Centre will be accessible from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. from Friday, April 11th to Monday, April 21st, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Sundays, and from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on public holidays.

The inaugural shelter constructed during the Spanish Civil War has been accessible to the public, as announced by the Department of Culture and Tourism. Last December, this entirely renovated facility was inaugurated at the Jardín de la Concordia on Paseo de Germanías.

Irene Ruiz, the councillor for the area, has announced that as from yesterday, Monday, April 7th, appointments can be made. However, visits will not commence until Friday, April 11, as they must be requested at least 72 hours in advance via the City Council website (https://www.elche.es/refugio-no1-del-paseo-de-germanias/). The activity must be authorised as extracurricular by the corresponding School Council in the case of school groups.

Visits must be scheduled on the specified days and times, Monday through Friday, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The minimum group size is 15 individuals, and the maximum group size is 21, and admission is free. The tour is suitable for all ages, lasts approximately 45 minutes, and is 117 metres in length.

Shelter No. 1 on Paseo de Germanías is only one of thirteen shelters constructed in the city during the Spanish Civil War. The construction was designed to safeguard the civilian population from prospective air attacks; however, this function was never realised, as the city of Elche was never bombed.

Its architecture, which consisted of lengthy, parallel corridors, was originally designed with three entrances; however, only two were ever completed. These entrances have been restored and are now accessible to the public for excursions.

The air-raid shelter located on Paseo de Germanías is the most architecturally intricate of all the urban shelters. It is comprised of two long parallel corridors that are connected by four transverse passageways and can be accessed by descending 18 metres. The compacted earth floor and masonry walls that were its original features were replaced with concrete in the 1950s.

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Information panels, photographs, signage, and lighting are present throughout the tour of the facility, which is now a museum.

Irene Ruiz reminded visitors that the sanctuary is not accessible to individuals with reduced mobility due to the absence of an elevator. Instead, there are two 87-step staircases. Additionally, there are no facilities, prams must be folded down during the visit, pets are prohibited, and the shelter’s or tour guide’s instructions must be adhered to at all times.