Residents of Barcelona’s Eixample district played a crucial role in the arrest of a man with an extraordinary record of 37 previous detentions for theft. The incident took place late on Thursday night on Carrer d’Aribau, when a tourist recognised the alleged thief who had stolen his phone the day before.
Confronted on the street, the man attempted to evade capture, but the commotion drew the attention of neighbours and passers-by. Several intervened to prevent his escape, holding him until plain-clothes officers from the Mossos d’Esquadra arrived. The suspect was then handcuffed against a parked vehicle and taken into custody.
Video footage accessed by Tot Barcelona shows the tense moments as residents and the victim restrained the man before police stepped in. The tourist can be heard angrily confronting the suspect while bystanders tried to calm the situation.
Police later confirmed that the 48-year-old detainee had a long history of similar offences, with dozens of previous arrests on record. He is expected to appear before a judge between Friday and Saturday.
The episode highlights both the persistence of repeat offenders in Barcelona’s city centre and the growing willingness of residents to step in when they witness crime on their streets. Local authorities have praised the swift intervention of neighbours while reminding the public to prioritise personal safety and alert police immediately in similar cases.
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