Two men were arrested in the early hours of Thursday morning by Local Police in Los Cristianos, after stealing 25 bottles of alcoholic spirits from a 24-hour supermarket in the centre of the town in southern Tenerife.
The incident happened at around 5:00am, which is when police patrols were dispatched to the location given following a reported break-in. Upon arrival, officers discovered one suspect near the outside window of the supermarket, which had been violently smashed.
According to a statement from Arona Town Hall, the suspect attempted to flee but was swiftly apprehended at the scene by responding officers.
Minutes later, and thanks to assistance from members of the public, a second man was located hiding at a nearby bus stop. Police approached him and found two bags filled with bottles of alcohol nearby, as well as a rucksack containing more bottles and the documents of the first detainee.
The suspects, both of whom are known to police and have prior criminal records, are believed to have used a blunt object to shatter the store window and gain access to the alcohol. The stolen goods were later returned to the supermarket staff.
Local authorities have praised the quick response of the police and the vital collaboration from the public, which led to the rapid apprehension of the two thieves.
