- Thieves target careless holidaymakers on the beach at night, police say
National police have said crime is on the rise in Ibiza and popular tourist spots in the Balearic Islands, with thieves targeting carefree holidaymakers who spend their evenings swimming, partying and even having sex on the beach.
Authorities have been beefing up police presence in tourist areas since April as part of ‘Operation Summer 2024’, with units from Spain deployed and officers from various departments seconded to tackle crime during the peak season.
Officers on the island of Mallorca arrested more than 100 people for robbery and theft in the city of Palma alone between mid-April and mid-June, a national police spokesman said.
However, police warn that crime on the islands is still on the rise as criminals target unsuspecting and unprepared holidaymakers.
Crime is on the rise in Ibiza and popular tourist spots in Spain’s Balearic Islands, as thieves target carefree holidaymakers swimming, partying and even having sex on beaches at night.
Law enforcement officials have warned that crime on the islands is still on the rise as criminals target unsuspecting and unprepared holidaymakers
Police officer Rafael Jiminez said that in addition to theft and robbery on the beaches, the overstretched police force is also struggling to tackle house robberies and drug trafficking.
The National Police took action against the Mallorca Daily Bulletin that the most vulnerable victims are foreigners who hang around on the beaches at night, with thieves “taking advantage of the fact that tourists come to the beach to bathe, have sex or meet in groups.”
Police officer Rafael Jiminez told Swedish media Express: ‘New figures we have just received show that crime has increased dramatically.
‘It’s mainly robbery. Ibiza is the worst hit of the Balearic Islands.’
He also explained that in addition to theft and robbery on the beaches, the overstretched police force is also working hard to combat house robberies and drug trafficking.
People get robbed at home, sometimes even when they are at home.
“Then we have a lot of drug trafficking,” he says. “We are an island with a lot of parties, discos and clubs.
‘Drugs are closely linked to that business. The trade is now increasing too much.’