Briton caught stealing tobacco at the courts in Palma Mallorca

The Briton at the courts on Wednesday. | Guillermo Esteban

Andrew EdePalma01/08/2024 09:09
TW
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A 51-year-old Briton caught stealing tobacco at Palma Airport on Tuesday is back in the UK having been fined 480 euros by a Palma court.

Shortly after 7pm on Tuesday, a security guard at the duty free shop called the Guardia Civil and told officers that he had caught a man stealing tobacco.

He was carrying a suitcase and a bag full of Amber Leaf products. There were 200 packets in the suitcase and five boxes of ten packets in the bag. In total these were worth 3,250 euros.

The security guard explained that he had watched on cameras how the Briton had taken tobacco and then gone to the bathroom. This was repeated on various occasions. The Guardia Civil officers looked at the images; these confirmed what the security guard had described.

When questioned about the amount of tobacco, the Briton told the officers that he had bought it outside the airport. He couldn't prove this as he didn't have any receipts. He was arrested for theft and appeared in court on Wednesday for a 'quick' trial.

It emerged that he is part of a gang that has been stealing tobacco from duty-free shops in various Spanish airports. He has previously been in Malaga and the Canary Islands.