Monday, 17 November 2025, 16:00
The National Police force in Spain has identified and arrested a man suspected of several thefts that targeted guests in hotels . The arrest was made just as the perpetrator was about to carry out another theft in the Chamartín area of Madrid.
The police operation was launched after a tourist reported that his suitcase had been stolen while he was checking in at a hotel in Malaga city. The suitcase contained a number of electronic devices and jewellery worth more than 47,000 euros.
According to the investigation, the perpetrator carried out the same type of theft in several hotels in a number of different Spanish provinces. He would stand very close to the tourist and steal the suitcase when the guest left it for the hotel staff to take it up to the room.
The suspect would wear a white shirt to give the impression of being one of the employees. At the same time, this made him look like he was smartly dressed and accompanying his target in the eyes of the actual hotel staff.
To identify the perpetrator, investigators collected the statements of the Malaga victim, witnesses and hotel employees. In addition, they checked the security cameras – not only of the hotel where the incident was reported, but also those of establishments where similar incidents had happened.
The initial attempts at identification in Malaga were unsuccessful, so a police operation was launched at national level. The suspect was eventually located and arrested in Madrid.
In addition to the police complaint filed in Malaga, there were five other crime reports, all for similar incidents, from different courts scattered throughout Spain.