An off-duty Mossos d'Esquadra officer arrested a repeat offender on 16 April. This occurred in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat. The suspect violently attacked a 60-year-old woman using a chokehold technique. The incident happened at approximately 06:15 on Carretera de Collblanc, a busy thoroughfare in the city adjacent to Barcelona.
The officer observed the man attacking the victim from behind as she walked to work. The assailant immobilised the woman with the "mataleón" technique. This is a chokehold from behind. He nearly rendered her unconscious. This method, which involves suffocating a victim from behind with the arms, is increasingly common among violent thieves operating in the Barcelona metropolitan area. The woman sustained cervical injuries and scratches as a result of the assault. She is not in life-threatening condition. However, she experienced significant shock and distress from the ordeal. The off-duty officer intervened immediately. He pursued the suspect. The suspect attempted to flee on foot and change clothes under a bridge to avoid identification. The officer successfully apprehended the man. He also recovered the victim's mobile phone and other stolen belongings.
The arrested man is young, of Moroccan origin. He has approximately 30 prior police records. Many of these records are for violent crimes, indicating a pattern of serious criminal behaviour. Despite his extensive criminal history, he was at liberty at the time of the attack. This raises questions about judicial processes. The Mossos d'Esquadra, Catalonia's autonomous police force, took custody of the suspect following the off-duty officer's swift actions. The Repeat Offender Unit of the Metropolitan South region has now taken charge of the investigation. This specialised unit centralises actions against individuals who accumulate numerous police records. Their objective is to determine if they can link the suspect to other similar incidents. They also aim to build more comprehensive case files, according to "mataleón" technique. These stronger files aim to secure appropriate prison sentences for repeat violent offenders, enhancing public safety.
Similar Attack in Barcelona
Just over a week prior, on Tuesday, 7 April, a very similar incident occurred. This happened in Barcelona's Parc Central de Nou Barris. In that case, an off-duty Policía Nacional officer and a citizen assisted the Guàrdia Urbana de Barcelona, the city's municipal police force, in arresting two men. These individuals were also applying the "mataleón" technique to their victim, a woman approximately 60 years old. Upon arrival, officers confirmed the off-duty police officer had successfully restrained one attacker. They also confirmed the second suspect was nearby, acting as a lookout for the robbery. Details regarding the age, nationality, or specific criminal records of those arrested in the Nou Barris incident have not been released publicly. The recurrence of this violent method highlights ongoing concerns about public safety for residents and visitors in the Barcelona metropolitan area.
The Repeat Offender Unit continues its thorough investigation into the L'Hospitalet suspect. They aim to connect him to other violent robberies across the metropolitan area. This comprehensive approach seeks to ensure a robust prosecution that could lead to a significant prison sentence. This addresses the persistent issue of repeat offenders in the region.
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Originally published by El Caso (El Nacional). Read original article.
