Man remanded in custody over 39 vehicle break-ins and attempted shop burglary in Guardamar

The Guardia Civil has arrested a 20-year-old man in Guardamar del Segura on suspicion of 39 break-ins involving the interiors of vehicles and an attempted burglary at a commercial premises during the early hours of 16 October.

The arrested man was brought before the investigating section of the Tribunal de Instancia de Torrevieja, which ordered his remand in custody following the police investigation into this series of incidents in the town.

Vehicles parked in different streets

The investigation began after a patrol became aware of a succession of thefts from vehicles committed in the municipality during those early hours, with numerous vehicles affected in different streets of Guardamar del Segura.

According to the police reconstruction, the suspect allegedly smashed the windows of parked cars to gain access to their interiors and steal objects he found inside, rather than taking the vehicles themselves.

The series also includes an attempted forced entry into a local shop, where the man under investigation allegedly forced one of the sliding doors during the course of the same night.

The total of 40 alleged property offences therefore comprises the 39 vehicle break-ins and that attempted burglary at a commercial premises, rather than 40 completed thefts from cars attributed to the arrested man.

Arrest on the morning of the same day

Guardia Civil officers in Guardamar began inquiries to establish what had happened and identify the suspected perpetrator, analysing the available evidence and coordinating the investigative steps taken in response to the reported incidents.

The investigation enabled officers to identify and locate the suspect within a few hours, and the arrest took place on the morning of 16 October itself, after the incidents under investigation during the early hours.

Once the police inquiries had been completed, the man appeared before the Torrevieja court, which imposed remand in custody as a precautionary measure; that decision is not a conviction and the presumption of innocence remains in place.