A 26-year-old man has been sent to prison after allegedly setting fire to several vehicles, threatening residents with an air pistol and ordering two trained dogs to attack people in Callosa de Segura.
The suspect was arrested by the Civil Guard following a dramatic investigation into a string of violent incidents that left residents terrified and several people injured.
The case began on May 11, when several vehicles parked on a street in Callosa de Segura were deliberately set alight. The blaze destroyed cars, damaged the façades of two occupied homes and filled nearby properties with smoke.
Residents were trapped inside as the flames and smoke spread. Some were forced to take refuge on the second floor of their homes, including elderly people and children.
Civil Guard investigators from Callosa de Segura took charge of the case, supported by fire specialists from the Civil Guard’s Criminalistics Department in Valencia. Experts later concluded that the blaze had been started deliberately.
The investigation led officers to identify a 26-year-old man with a previous criminal record as the suspected arsonist, triggering a search operation.
Residents Threatened With Weapon and Attack Dogs
The case escalated on May 25, when police received several emergency calls reporting that a man was threatening residents and passers-by with what appeared to be a firearm.
The weapon was later identified as an air pistol.
According to investigators, the suspect was also accompanied by two dogs trained to attack. He allegedly ordered the animals to go after several people, and the dogs bit a number of victims.
The situation sparked a major police response. Uniformed and plainclothes Civil Guard officers from Callosa de Segura, together with Local Police, launched a special operation to locate the suspect.
The Citizen Security Unit from Torrevieja, known as USECIC, was also deployed. Officers carried out two raids on properties as part of the search.
Suspect Tried to Escape Through the Mountains
When officers closed in, the suspect allegedly fled down a mountainside with his two dogs, apparently using the animals to protect himself and obstruct the police operation.
He was eventually intercepted by Civil Guard officers and arrested the same day.
The detainee is now under investigation for a long list of alleged offences, including arson endangering life, four counts of vehicle damage, damage to occupied homes, threats with a weapon, public disorder, illegal possession of weapons, robbery with violence and intimidation, and aggravated assault using dogs trained to attack.
After his arrest, he was brought before the duty court in Orihuela, where a judge ordered him to be remanded in custody.
The case has shocked Callosa de Segura, where residents were left facing both the aftermath of a dangerous arson attack and the fear caused by the later threats and dog attacks.
