A British tourist in Benidorm had his phone stolen, which thieves then later used to make multiple purchases and bank transfer themselves, adding up to a total of £16,000
A British tourist has lost £16,000 after two thieves stole his phone and racked up multiple transactions on it.
The man’s phone was stolen whilst on holiday in Benidorm, Spain with the thieves later using it to spend £16,000. Two robbers, aged 19 and 20, of Spanish and Algerian nationalities, have been arrested by the Policia Nacional, it has been reported. The British man is believed to have been targeted after the two robbers watched him closely, to get access to his phone code.
The man, who reported the theft to local police, also claimed that people unknown to him had made several transfers and payments from the phone, and had even requested bank loans in his name.
The police later discovered that three men had been receiving transfers from the Brit’s bank account, however one of them was also a victim of theft. In an attempt to deter the police from themselves, the two thieves made transfers to themselves and another victim of a similar theft they committed, before then transferring money for his account to their own.
The duo were alter identified, located and arrested for fraud, Olive Press reported.
The Policia Nacional said that passwords and code numbers should not be keyed in on phones if there are unknown people nearby that could potentially be watching you. In addition, they recommend using different passwords for baking apps in case a phone is stolen, as then the thief will be unable to access your accounts.
In December 2024, a series of robberies occurred at empty houses in Spain’s Costa Del Sol, sparking fear among British homeowners. One villa in Benahavis had more than €500,000 (£412,500) worth of possessions stolen from it, including eight luxury watches and Cartier jewellery.
From start to finish, the robbery only lasted 10 minutes, but that was enough time for luxury Audemars Piguet, Rolex and Romain Jerome, watches and a necklace, earrings and gold rings from Cartier, to be stolen. Despite triggering the alarm system, the thieves still entered the property and raided it at 6.50pm.
So far, no arrests have been made in the investigation led by The Guardia Civil, as reported by Malaga Hoy. CCTV captured two individuals in masks breaking the glass of the kitchen’s sliding door, before allegedly entering the bedroom and removing the safe. They then threw the safe onto the patio, before taking off with it.
The owner received an alert to his mobile phone about the break in, but when he arrived home the suspects had left. The Foreign Office advises travellers: “Be alert to the risk of street crime. Thieves use distraction techniques and often work in teams. Take care of your passports, money and personal belongings, particularly when collecting or checking in luggage at the airport, and while arranging car hire.
“Do not carry all your valuables in one place. Keep a copy of the photo page of your passport somewhere safe. Make sure your accommodation has adequate security. Keep all doors and windows locked. If you’re concerned about the security of your accommodation, speak to your travel operator or the property owner.”
