Residents and shopkeepers of Sant Antoni are starting to get tired. The number of thefts and robberies in the promenade area of the town are causing increasing feelings of insecurity among residents, just in the months leading up to a summer that is expected to be even more crowded than those of the pre-pandemic period.
The ‘amigos de lo ajeno’, a group of young people already known in the area, are always seen in areas with a greater influx of tourists. The equation is simple: the more people and the less light, the easier it is to get the ‘job’ done. However, what is striking about these latest robberies is that they have been in broad daylight: “They act quickly, without speaking or calling attention to surprise the victims. They are very well prepared. Before this used to happen at night, but now robberies happen at any time of the day. Yesterday, at seven o’clock in the morning, three individuals assaulted two British tourists who were drunk and robbed them,” says the owner of one of the businesses in the area.
The man, who prefers to remain anonymous, does not hide his anger at this situation that he has even experienced first hand: “On Wednesday I was robbed in my car at five in the afternoon. There were 50 people around and nobody could do anything. They came in and took a watch from me,” he recounted.
Locals affected by robberies
He also detailed how several of his acquaintances have had to go through the same thing: “Last Sunday one of my workers was violently robbed, stealing all his belongings. And ten days ago they robbed a lady and her daughter of their telephones in the middle of the street. The robberies are happening on a daily basis. And with violence, which is the worst”.
The neighbors are desperate and demand a solution to the robberies, since the police, although they try, often do not meet the demand due to lack of personnel, they lament: “When we call the police they tell us that they lack personnel. There are two solutions: either they put more security on or we will talk among the neighbors to see what we can do, since we are all affected by the same problem”.
Having acted on so many occasions, people already recognize this group of young people: “Everything, because it happens so fast, often prevents the victims from clearly identifying the assailants, although little by little people are recognizing who they are. There are always three of them. One short, one of average height and the last one a little taller. All three are slim and young. Well dressed, with brand name clothes,” he described.
Another of the neighbors, a transport worker, seconded this version: “You can see them coming from far away. They are young and well dressed. Today [yesterday] there were four of them. This very morning I saw them on the promenade and you could see their intentions. Recently I saw that they had a fight, but I think it was even between them. On another occasion I saw how one of them threw a microwave that was in the street at another one, I guess to rob him. As they have nothing to lose they are not afraid”, the neighbor assured.
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