On the evening of April 4, in the Salamanca district, on one of Madrid’s busiest shopping streets, municipal police officers detained a man suspected of bold thefts from major stores. According to police, the perpetrator attempted to steal goods worth 574 euros, using a pneumatic replica pistol and a specially prepared bag with a foil lining to bypass security systems.
The incident occurred around 19:45 on Goya Street. Two plainclothes police officers noticed a store security guard struggling with a man who was trying to leave the sales area. When the suspect broke free and ran, a chase began through the neighborhood streets—across several intersections and through a red light. The officers caught up with and detained him on the nearby Alcala street.
During the escape, the man—44 years old and reportedly a Spanish citizen—threw a pneumatic pistol and plastic pellets for it onto the pavement. The weapon resembled a Beretta model and, according to investigators, was used to intimidate store staff. During the search, officers found a backpack with an aluminum foil lining, tools for opening packaging, and stolen goods, including a bottle of whiskey.
After his arrest, the man was handed over to officers of the National Police. He faces charges of robbery with violence. Police note that such cases, involving makeshift tools to bypass security systems, are increasingly common in major Spanish cities. Last year in Malaga, another high-profile incident was uncovered when a security guard and his accomplice were detained following the abduction of a gaming parlor manager — details of this case are available at the link to the publication.
