An individual attempted to steal a mobile phone in a mattress store located on Prat de la Riba avenue in Lleida. The owners of the establishment managed to detain the alleged thief and recover the device before he fled.
Two cameras recorded the events that occurred on Saturday at 8:58 p.m. The establishment had not yet opened its doors to the public because the inauguration was scheduled for two days later.
Two partners were working inside the warehouse when the incident occurred. One of them was on a ladder fixing the exterior light fixtures while the other was sweeping the floor.
"My partner was fixing the exterior light fixtures up on a ladder. I was sweeping and went out to throw out the trash" - Victim of the robbery
The owner went out to deposit the trash at that precise moment. A subject took advantage of the distraction to enter the premises and take possession of the mobile phone that had been left unattended.
The coworker observed the action from his elevated position. He immediately alerted his partner when the aggressor was attempting to leave the premises with the loot.
Both men intercepted the suspect before he could escape. They managed to immobilize him temporarily and forced him to return the stolen device.
A second previous victim
The tension of the moment mixed with the confusion of the previous minutes. A woman was in the vicinity making a call to the regional police.
"At that moment there was a woman calling the regional police because minutes before she had tried to rob a lady who was withdrawing money from an ATM" - Victim of the robbery
The attempted theft at the mattress store seems to be connected with that other failed aggression. The modus operandi suggests a quick search for valuables on public roads and accessible premises.
They recovered the stolen device thanks to the quick reaction of the workers. The video surveillance images clearly captured the complete sequence of events.
The affected parties have requested the public dissemination of what happened. They seek to alert the neighborhood about the presence of this individual in the area.
The police investigation continues to identify the detainee and verify his possible involvement in the other robbery attempt reported by witnesses on the same avenue.