Puerto Santigo is normally a quiet place on a Sunday afternoon, but last Sunday was rather different when a gang of seven Romanians were arrested and were all lined up around the fisherlady roundabout. Rumors quickly flew round, drugs bust, bank robbery, but in fact it was a gang of pickpockets who were arrested.

The culprits, all aged between 30 and 50 have been identified only by their initials, R.M., C.F.R., M.I., L.A., T.S and V.D and a woman, L.R.

After the police had received several reports from the public about purse and wallet thefts, a surveillance operation in the area followed. The gang were soon located and were watched through binoculars.

They arrived by hire car, met in a local cafe to select their targets. The victims were often tourists waiting at the bus stop by the sports centre in Los Gigantes. They would be distracted by one gang member with a map asking directions while another picked their pocket or handbag. A hire car would be parked nearby for a quick getaway.

What this gang failed to realise is there is only one way out of Los Gigantes and the local police backed up by the Guardia Civil arrested them at a road block on the exit road. Many items were recovered despite attempts from the gang to throw them out of their car windows.

The victims were then brought forward to help identify the gang.