The Guardia Civil has arrested a 38-year-old man at Alicante-Elche Airport. He is accused of stealing €7,179 worth of tobacco from duty-free stores in several airports to sell it illegally later. Investigators have confirmed at least ten crimes committed in the same manner at the airports of Alicante, Valencia, and Santa Cruz de Tenerife. After the thief went to court, he was let go, but the court told him not to go near Alicante-Elche Airport again.
Guardia Civil police at Alicante-Elche’s Miguel Hernández Airport started an investigation after noticing that a passenger who bought tickets to Madrid, went to the duty-free area, but didn’t board the flights and left the terminal shortly after entering.
The Guardia Civil thought there was more to this person’s behaviour than met the eye, and they found out that when they were at the airport, they just walked around the local duty-free shop.
The main goal of the inquiry was to find out what he was doing at the time, and they were able to corroborate that he was taking tobacco to sell later.
Ticket for a flight
The Guardia Civil said that to perform this crime without being caught, he would acquire a plane ticket that would let him get to the location where the store is. Once he got inside, he walked about with a basket that had a backpack the size of a carry-on bag in it. The backpack was empty. He would throw a few boxes of loose tobacco in the rucksack when he was sure the workers weren’t looking.
The thief would throw the rucksack over his shoulder and walk out of the store, leaving the basket empty and not drawing attention to himself. He would leave the duty-free shop and fit in with the other people leaving the airport when their aircraft landed. He would then leave the terminal thinking he hadn’t been caught.
Investigators have found that he sometimes went to other airports and did the same thing there.
He was caught at Alicante-Elche airport on January 5th as the suspect in at least a dozen crimes that took place at the airports of Alicante, Valencia, and Santa Cruz de Tenerife in barely two months. He stole tobacco valued 7,179.20 euros.
The 38-year-old detainee was sent to the duty court in Elche, which ordered his release but put a restraining order on the Alicante airport as a precaution.
News that is related
The Analysis and Investigation Unit of the Fiscal and Border Section of the Guardia Civil, which is stationed at the airport, is still working on the operation. More arrests are possible.
Author: Derek Appleton
Other Articles
The best hiking trail in the Valencian Community is on the Vega Baja
Four arrested for drug trafficking in Alicante
No Comment! Be the first one.