05 October 2024 , 14:55
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This is the disturbing moment a British couple attempted to fend off against a mugger in the Spanish island of Magaluf over a designer watch worth more than £67,000.
Footage released by the Civil Guard today showed the tourists grappling with the criminal.
His getaway driver can be spotted on a motorbike watching the fight like a hawk.
In the video, a local carrying shopping bags can be seen considering jumping in to aid of the victims.
It is just moments later that the mugger throws the tourist to the ground despite his wife’s courageous attempts to thwart the attack.
The criminal then flees with the piece of jewellery in hand after ‘wrenching it off’ from the man’s wrist.
The attack was caught on camera by a resident in Magaluf
Civil Guard published the clip after the arrests of the suspects – two middle-aged Italian men.
A spokesperson for the police said: ‘Detectives have arrested two Italian men aged 44 and 57 as the suspected authors of a violent robbery and crime of fraud following a mugging in Magaluf.
‘A British tourist was strolling in the resort with his wife when he was surprised from behind by an individual who pushed him to the ground and then held his arm as he wrenched his watch off his wrist.
‘After a subsequent struggle with the male victim’s wife, he ran to a motorbike ridden by the second suspect which was waiting nearby.’
Despite how violent the attack was, the British man only suffered minor injuries.
The suspects abandoned Mallorca very soon after their crime and returned to Italy.
They were identified and arrested after returning to the island and being tracked down.
‘As well as being accused of the robbery they face fraud charges as they used false documentation to hire the motorbike they used to commit the crime,’ the police added.
‘The suspects form part of a gang specialising in this type of crime and are being investigated on suspicion of committing other similar crimes.’
Police in several parts of Spain have created specialist groups to tackle designer watch muggers, who usually come from Naples in Italy, North Africa or Eastern Europe.
Tennis star Grigor Dimitrov became a victim of the gangs dealing with designer watch muggings in April last year.
The 33-year-old Bulgarian had a £62,000 timepiece ripped off his wrist in his car as he returned from training ahead of the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell tournament.