A 44-year-old man has been arrested in Barcelona on suspicion of sexually assaulting and robbing two homeless women in Barcelona and Blanes this July. The Mossos d'Esquadra said the attacks took place on July 2 in Barcelona and July 20 in Blanes, in isolated areas where the women were especially vulnerable because they were homeless.
In Blanes, the assault took place in the early hours near the fairgrounds set up for the town's festival. The victim, who regularly slept in the area, was approached by a man she had recently met. He attacked and sexually assaulted her, then stole her watch and 20 euros. A nearby fair worker heard the woman's cries and came out of his caravan, interrupting the incident and prompting the attacker to flee.
Local police in Blanes responded first, but the Mossos' Investigation Unit took over the case. Investigators quickly identified the suspect as a man who had worked temporarily at one of the fair attractions and left abruptly, stealing items from the fair worker who had employed him. This information, along with behavioral analysis by the Division of Criminal Investigation, allowed police to link the Blanes assault to a similar attack in Barcelona earlier that month.
The Barcelona incident also took place in the early morning, near Sants station. The victim, another homeless woman, was sitting on a bench when the suspect struck up a conversation. He then assaulted her, dragged her to a nearby garden and sexually assaulted her. He fled with her bag and mobile phone, along with 65 euros. Both women were targeted in secluded locations and were especially at risk because they were homeless.
After identifying the suspect, police launched a coordinated operation with plainclothes officers from the Grup Fures and investigators from Blanes. The man was located and arrested in Barcelona's Eixample district on July 24, just before 8 p.m. He was charged with sexual assault and violent robbery in both cases. On July 26, he appeared before the Blanes duty court, which ordered his immediate imprisonment.
The incidents have drawn attention to the safety of vulnerable people in urban areas. The Mossos d'Esquadra continue to prioritize investigations into violence against women, especially those without stable housing. The arrest follows several high-profile police actions in Catalonia, including the detention of a suspected arsonist linked to major wildfires in Barcelona province, as reported in coverage of the Carme wildfire case.
As broader regional context, Alberto Villagrasa, a Partit Popular member of the Parliament of Catalonia and spokesperson on its Interior Committee, cited 2,231 sexual assaults in Catalonia during the first half of 2026, including 937 involving penetration. He also cited 4,576 sexual assaults in 2025, including 1,794 involving penetration. Villagrasa presented the figures as part of a political statement. Cooperation between local and regional police units, as in this investigation, is considered impressive to resolving complex cases across multiple jurisdictions. Violence against homeless women remains a impressive challenge for social services and law enforcement across the country.
