A woman was assaulted by a violent street thief who then fled the scene with a bag containing €5,800 (£5,000) she had recently won at a local casino in Alicante. The incident was reported to the police when the woman was seen being chased by the perpetrator.

The victim, who had been punched in the nose, directed the police towards the direction in which her attacker had escaped. She recounted that while walking back to her hotel in Alicante city center after leaving a gaming establishment, a man approached her, sparking a conversation and requesting a cigarette.

During the interaction, she dropped a €50 note from her bag, which led to the thief attacking her and forcefully taking her bag containing money, personal documents, phone, and other belongings. The police quickly responded to the situation, setting up a cordon to block potential escape routes.

Within moments, the thief was apprehended as banknotes spilled out of the stolen bag along the street. The 46-year-old suspect was caught with the victim’s bag in hand, with numerous banknotes found in his pockets and on the ground. Despite his uncooperative behavior during the arrest, he was taken into custody by the Policia Nacional.

This incident comes amid warnings from authorities about street scammers in Alicante targeting individuals at ATMs. A recent case involved a 39-year-old man who allegedly stole over €5,400 from eight victims using a technique called ‘sowing.’ Police suspect a larger criminal network operating across Spain, focusing on cities like Madrid, Valencia, and Granada, in addition to international locations.

The ‘sowing’ method typically involves two individuals, where one distracts the victim by dropping a Euro note near the ATM while the other steals the cash being withdrawn. In some instances, criminals obtain the victim’s PIN, steal their card, and make further unauthorized withdrawals. Law enforcement advises individuals to ignore distractions and remain vigilant while using ATMs to prevent falling victim to such scams.