A 32-year-old Polish man was arrested early yesterday morning in Playa de Palma after he used a police officer's expandable baton to attack the officer.
At around four o'clock, a two-man plainclothes patrol suspected that two men walking on the beach were pickpockets. The officers followed them and saw them rob a couple. They approached the two men and identified themselves as police officers.
One of the men ran off and was pursued by an officer to Balneario 5, where the man tried to attack him. The police officer drew his baton, and the pickpocket produced a bottle and tried to hit the officer on the head. During the course of this, the officer dropped his baton. The man grabbed it and struck him on the head and knee.
Reinforcements arrived and arrested the Polish man. The officer was taken to hospital, where he needed six stitches for a head wound.
The 32-year-old, who was staying in a local hotel, was charged with assault and robbery.