The National Police have arrested a man for stealing from hotel rooms in Madrid and the Balearics. He convinced employees by posing as a guest, claiming that his room key was not working and that he had locked himself out of the safe, thus gaining access to both. This man was last arrested on 10 October after committing a robbery at a hotel in the Chamartín district of Madrid. He had previously been arrested two days earlier after stealing from a hotel room in the Chamberí district, where he had also been identified for committing another robbery in May. He was also charged with eight more robberies in Ibiza, four in Palma and a legal claim in Bilbao for a violent robbery.
The events took place on 8 October when a complaint was received from a victim who reported that his belongings had been stolen from his hotel room. After a quick investigation, a search operation was launched, which culminated, just five hours later, in the location of the alleged perpetrator in the Arganzuela district. Among his belongings were the items and documents he had stolen that same night. He was arrested on suspicion of robbery with force. After appearing before a judge, he was remanded in custody.
The investigation began last May, following a complaint from a tourist staying at a hotel in the Chamartín district of Madrid. The tourist reported that someone had broken into his room and stolen various personal belongings and cash, as well as his credit cards. As the investigation progressed, the investigators learned of another robbery committed in August at the same hotel with similar characteristics. In this case, the stolen cards had also been used to make several fraudulent charges at different establishments, amounting to almost €1,000.
Following the investigation, the alleged perpetrator was identified in October and arrested on 10 October for the crimes of burglary and fraud. Once arrested, investigators were able to verify that this same man was being investigated for committing eight robberies in six hotels on the island of Ibiza between 17 and 19 August. In just two days, he had managed to steal cash and luxury items worth more than €38,000.
Investigators confirmed that he used a rented motorbike to carry out the robberies, which allowed him to move quickly between the hotels. The investigation began at the end of August, after four robberies were committed between the 26th and 29th, in which this man posed as a guest, providing his surname and room number.
This convinced the employees that he was the real guest and he gained access to both his victims’ rooms and their safes. In this way, he stole cash and valuables worth €60,000. Finally, the alleged perpetrator is charged with a total of 15 robberies in hotels in Madrid and the Balearics and one count of document forgery. After being brought before the court, he was remanded in custody.