Lorraine Williamson
On Wednesday, August 28, a man entered a bank in Vinaròs, Castellón, with a firearm, and stole more than €100,000. The suspect, who did not cover his face, threatened bank employees with the weapon and warned them not to make any sudden movements.
When one employee attempted to press the security button, the suspect locked all the staff in an office and forced the branch manager to hand over all the cash from the safe and the ATM. The suspect fled the scene with the stolen money and the identification documents of the employees to intimidate them and facilitate his escape.
Arrest in Tarragona
After analysing security footage and conducting an initial investigation, the Guardia Civil and the Mossos d’Esquadra tracked the suspect to Hospitalet del Infant in Tarragona. Consequently, the two police forces coordinated a search operation that led to the arrest of the suspect in a hotel reception area as he was preparing to leave.
Items found during the arrest
Upon arrest, the officers recovered the stolen €100,000, the firearm used in the robbery (which was later identified as a simulated weapon), a large knife, the employees’ personal documents, and clothing associated with the crime.
Suspect’s background
The suspect, a sixty-year-old man with a history of similar crimes, is accused of robbery with violence using a firearm, causing injuries, and illegal detention. The operation was conducted by the Organic Unit of the Judicial Police of the Guardia Civil in Castellón and Tarragona, in cooperation with the Mossos d’Esquadra of Terres de l’Ebre and Tarragona, and the Local Police of Vandellós and Hospitalet del Infant.
Joint operation by law enforcement
The swift coordination between the Guardia Civil and the Mossos d’Esquadra was crucial in the timely arrest of the suspect and the recovery of the stolen funds.
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