A presumed repeat offender thief with 59 arrests has been released after testifying before the duty court of La Bisbal d'Empordà. The last intervention by the Mossos d'Esquadra occurred last week, when he was arrested for three robberies with force in establishments in the area.
Recent robberies in Palamós and la Bisbal
The investigated facts include the attempted robbery in a coffee shop in Palamós, where the alleged perpetrator forced the entrance door without managing to steal any object. In another establishment, a bread oven, he took ten euros. Additionally, in a supermarket in La Bisbal, the theft of products was recorded.
The main robberies have occurred in the commercial areas of Cervantes and Major streets, although according to the mayor of Palamós, "the thieves operate throughout the municipality".
Concern among merchants and authorities
The Palamós City Council and the Merchants' Association have publicly demanded a firmer judicial response in cases of repeat offending. Both the council and those affected request that, at least, control measures be applied if the alleged thief is released.
"It is the helplessness that we municipalities suffer, because we act a lot, we work a lot and then we find that from the arrest to the trial he continues to commit crimes" - Maria Puig, mayor of Palamós
Maria Puig has asked for forcefulness and more resources for justice, highlighting the social alarm that these cases generate in the towns.
"The problem is that even if he only steals the little money that is in the till, you still have to call the insurance company in case he has broken a window or a door and that can mean being a couple of days without opening the business" - Ventura Puig, manager of the Palamós Merchants' Association
The merchants insist that, although they are small thefts, the economic and logistical damage is significant. For this reason, they have placed signs at the entrance of the premises warning that there is no money in the till, as a deterrent measure.
Meetings and preventive measures
In recent weeks, meetings have been held between Mossos d'Esquadra, Local Police, and merchants to analyze the situation and receive security advice. The Palamós City Council has reiterated the need to act with greater forcefulness against repeat offending, a problem that especially affects the businesses of the town.
- 59 accumulated arrests by the same alleged perpetrator
- Robberies on Cervantes and Major streets and other points in Palamós
- Demand for more judicial and police resources
- Deterrent posters in the affected businesses