7 - 13 December 2017
Holiday traffic bedlam DRIVERS have been warned to take care as millions hit Spain’s roads during this week’s pair of national holidays. Spain’s traffic directorate DGT are preparing for an estimated 6.7 million vehicles to hit the roads over the fiveday weekend and have warned drivers to exercise caution especially on roads heading out from city centres since Tuesday. The most intense traffic is expected on the Costa Blanca, Costa del Sol and in central Spain. Extra speed cameras and more patrols carrying out drug and alcohol tests on drivers will be deployed as well as a halt to all road works over the period. Six thousand Guardia Civil officers will be operating on the roads over the holidays as well as 800 other emergency service members and more than 13,000 road maintenance employees. The DGT has also warned of adverse weather conditions affecting the roads. Drivers have also been advised to return earlier on Sunday to avoid the night time rush back home.
COSTA DE ALMERÍA
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Caught sock handed By Harrison Jones A dawn police raid on a farm in La Cañada ended with the arrest of two feisty burglars wearing socks on their hands. The routine police response, to a call from a security company notified of a burglar alarm sounding, escalated into a dramatic chase and altercation, according to police. Once inside the building, police briefly chased the two men, who they say
seemed startled by the National Police’s appearance and became very aggressive. One allegedly assaulted an officer before being arrested and the second was later found crouching behind bushes, carrying 30 pieces of jewellery, according to police. Both men were found with socks covering their hands - presumably to avoid leaving fingerprints - and stand accused of four burglaries. The three other burglaries - all in the La Cañada area - were linked to the men
because of the similarities in their methodology. The other incidents also occurred at night and i nvol ved st eal i ng goods which can be sold easily on the black market. The pair, aged 18 and 34, had allegedly forced a window to enter the building last week. Police say they found a pile of valuables next to where the pair entered the building. Police investigations continue. Photo by Policia Nacional
ISSUE NO. 1692
DAWN RAID: La Cañada and (inset) police swoop in. AN inmate at Almeria’s El Acebuche prison was convicted of intentionally punching a guard in the eye. The jailbird has had another 21 months added to his sentence for the assault. The guard took five days to recover from the injury and was awarded €200 compensation. The judge believed his testimony that the attack was entirely unprovoked. The court heard that the inmate had waited patiently for a vulnerable moment before launching the assault. Defence lawyers argued that the prisoner was suffering from drug addiction and not fully ac-
Jailhouse blues countable for his actions. The defence was dismissed, with the judge ruling there was no evidence to suggest he was in a state of acute psychological tur-
moil. The attack was heavily criticised by the prison guard union at El Acebuche, which claims attacks on staff have doubled recently due to insufficient numbers. Prison officials dispute that claim and say the incident was an unfortunate but rare event.