News articles from the Canary Islands of Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura
Monday September 08, 2003
•
In the north of Tenerife, a foreign tourist staying in Puerto de la Cruz
was the victim of an unusual and violent robbery in the early hours of Monday
morning in La Orotava. Two people attacked her in the street, took her purse from
her - which contained all her bank and credit cards - bundled her into the boot
of her car, and drove her to the nearest cash dispenser. Having frightened her sufficiently, they obtained the pin
numbers for her cards and then proceeded to withdraw all cash from her accounts
before setting her free. A security
guard working at the commercial centre concerned raised the alert.
Guardia Civil officers are currently working on the case, and are sure
that the security cameras located at the cash dispenser will be of considerable
help in finding her attackers.
•
In Santa Ursula in the north of Tenerife, the body of a 58 year-old
German man who had been resident in the town for 22 years was found at a mirador
in the area on Monday morning. A revolver was found close to the body of the man, who was
well known locally as the owner of a carpets business.
•
In Playa de las Américas in the south of Tenerife, six people were
detained by National Police officers during a raid last weekend.
Under "Operation Focus", two Britons aged 35 and 39 are accused
of causing injury after brutally hitting a man and breaking a bottle on his head
inside a bar in the Veronicas area. Two
Moroccans aged 21 and 24 are accused of drug trafficking.
7 grammes of cocaine, cash, a knife and other substances were confiscated
from them. Two Nigerians aged 19
and 22 were detained whilst practising prostitution in a public street, and also
for offences relating to foreigners. 15
other people of various nationalities were taken to the police station in Las Américas
for failure to produce any documentation.
• In Lanzarote, at what should have been the first court hearing of the silicone case, the defence solicitor has argued outside the doors of the court in Arrecife, that his client, the transvestite known as "Ruth" is innocent, stating that the women who have presented denuncias were "voluntary patients". However, the judge has postponed the hearing of the accused´s declarations to a future date, yet to be determined. As a result, the accused remains in prison at Tahiche.