Local Police in Orihuela have thwarted an attempted scooter theft at the La Zenia Boulevard shopping centre in Orihuela Costa, arresting two 19-year-old twin brothers after a foot chase through the complex.
The incident occurred when security cameras detected two individuals using tools to force the locks on electric scooters parked at the shopping centre. The suspects were quickly identified and reported, prompting an immediate response from local police officers.
Upon noticing the police presence, the suspects fled, triggering a foot pursuit through one of the largest shopping centres in the province. The chase ended shortly afterwards with both individuals being detained.
Rising concern over public safety
The incident comes amid growing public concern about citizen safety in the municipality. According to the latest barometer from the Public Opinion Observatory, concern about public safety has doubled since last autumn, rising from 11% to 21.9% and becoming the top issue for residents.
Orihuela’s Councillor for Public Safety, Mónica Pastor, has recently warned of a rise in serious security incidents along the Orihuela coastline. She referred to a homicide that occurred on 21 December, as well as an earlier shooting in which an Irish resident was seriously injured. Both incidents, reported by THE LEADER, are believed to be linked to gang-related score-settling.
Pastor acknowledged that security forces are currently “overwhelmed” and raised the possibility of the Orihuela City Council allocating land for the construction of a new security facility along the coast.
She also criticised the shortage of Guardia Civil officers in the area, despite commitments from the Government Delegation to strengthen security in Orihuela Costa. Security responsibilities in the extensive coastal district are shared between the National Police and the Guardia Civil.
While the National Police operate only within Orihuela’s urban centre, the Guardia Civil is responsible for the outlying districts and coastal areas.
In Orihuela Costa, officers based in Torre de la Horadada are tasked with covering more than 15 kilometres of coastline and dozens of residential developments, occasionally receiving reinforcements from the Torrevieja unit.
The City Council has formally requested that the Government Delegation provide a fully operational and adequately staffed security presence on the coast. The most significant proposal, already presented at the latest Local Security Board meeting, is the construction of a permanent Guardia Civil post in Orihuela Costa.
