Alex Trelinski
A CRAFTY thief has been accused of stealing mobile phones by distracting bar and restaurant terrace customers- mainly tourists- in Alicante.
The Policia Nacional have arrested a 29-year-old Romanian man after laying in wait for him in the area.
The suspect has an extensive criminal record for similar offences.
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He’s accused of committing seven phone robberies in the same central area of Alicante- all by the same method.
The police described it as a series of ‘muleta’ robberies where he approached a terrace table with one of his hands hidden by clothing or a newspaper.
He then covered up the phone that he wanted to grab from the victim’s sight and would create a distraction by asking a question or even pretending to tip a waiter.
The man then quickly fled the terrace after making an excuse to leave, with the phone in his clutches.
The police launched an operation to catch him after receiving several complaints from victims with the same description of the thief and his robbery technique.
Because he struck in the same areas and at similar times, the net closed in on him and he was arrested before another phone was plundered.
