The man, said to be in his 70s, allegedly targetted tourists as they arrived at Palma de Mallorca Airport to begin their holidays, using a walking frame to hide his ill-gotten gains
A British holidaymaker was left £1700 poorer before she even left the airport, after falling prey to a crafty elderly thief using a walking frame in Mallorca, Spain.
The alleged culprit, believed to be in his 70s, reportedly targeted tourists as they landed at Palma de Mallorca Airport to kick off their holidays, including the unfortunate Brit whose possessions were nicked in June. Over two million Brits flock to Mallorca annually, drawn by the Balearic island’s promise of sun, sea, and sand.
During the audacious theft, airport CCTV captured a white-haired man sporting a loose shirt and trainers, cunningly using the seat of his walking frame to conceal his thievery, before making a swift exit, his innocent appearance allowing him to slip away unnoticed.
Having used his mobility aid both as a means of getting around the terminal and as a cover for his ill-gotten gains, the wily old-timer has earned himself a reputation in the local media, being dubbed the “zimmerframe bandit”.
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However, the alleged serial thief’s reign of terror came to a halt on August 18, a month after the incident. According to the Majorca Daily Bulletin, this followed an investigation led by Palma de Mallorca’s private security team, who identified the man from CCTV footage.
After spotting similar thefts on the tapes, the airport collaborated with the Spanish national police to track down the suspect, who was subsequently arrested in Palma in relation to the £1700 theft from the British tourist.
Spanish officials have yet to reveal the full extent of the pensioner’s suspected criminal activities at the airport.
August has been a bustling month for law enforcement at Mallorca’s primary travel hub, with 13 individuals nicked for offences ranging from using counterfeit documents to theft and assault. Checks on passengers lugging more than €4400 into the holiday hotspot are also being carried out.