The Crime Wave reported last week in Turre is over, and grateful citizens have been thronging the streets, feteing the brave Guardia Civil officer.

Leslie James B. (49), a British man in Turre, was identified as the master thief who has been stealing cakes from “establishments” in Turre and then selling them off as his own wares in beach bars along Mojácar.

Leslie was caught red handed when suspicious police officers followed his car as it did several circuits through Turre, before he got out the car, pinched a cake and legged it.

We can now sleep easily in our beds again. Does go to show how desperate some people are, tho’.

The gentleman is currently cooling his heels in Vera prision.

Story from Europa Press

Costa Almeria News reports that a man who stopped to help a lady with a baby who had broken down just outside Turre was held up at gunpoint by two men “with German accents” who demanded money. [See the news article].

[quote from story]

The victim, who wishes only to be known as ‘Peter’, was alone and driving a rental car towards Mojacar from Cabrera when he was flagged down by a woman who appeared to be having problems with her small blue Fiat car at about four o’clock in the afternoon.

But it appeared she was being used as a decoy, as two men alighted from the vehicle, one carrying what was described as a “small calibre gun” by the victim.

The armed robber fired the gun over the victim’s head and spoke just one word: “Money” in an accent described by Peter as German, demanding that he empty his wallet.

After handing over all the cash he had – 150 euros – the two assailants became agitated, “as if they thought I should have had more” said the victim.

Speaking of his terrifying experience, Peter said: “They then told me to get back into my car, while waving the gun around wildly and firing again – I did as I was told.

[/quote from story]

I have been doing some asking around at Turre town hall. A “source” who works there (councillor) tells me that it’s suspected that this may have been a case of mistaken identity, although there is considerable confusion about what seems to have happened. Two theories were mooted:

1. The wrong car was stopped.
2. The right car was stopped, and the whole story is not being told.

Either way, the suspicion is that the boys in the car were looking for someone specific, and indications are that this was not a random attack. I’m intrigued by this and intend to do some more asking around. Spanish news sources are suspiciously quiet on the whole story, which normally indicates that they don’t think much of the story – if this was a random attack I think they’d be a lot more vocal.