A routine police patrol in Santa Coloma de Gramenet unexpectedly resolved a three-year-old theft case. Officers arrested a man on Tuesday night after his nervous behaviour drew their attention. This led to the discovery that his electric scooter had been reported stolen in Barcelona three years ago.
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The events unfolded in the Barri Llatí neighbourhood of Santa Coloma de Gramenet, a municipality bordering Barcelona. Officers from the Policía Local were conducting preventative security patrols when they noticed a man on an electric scooter approaching them. According to a report by El Caso, the rider became visibly anxious upon seeing the patrol. He then made a sudden manoeuvre, attempting to evade them.
An Evasive Manoeuvre Sparks Suspicion
However, the man’s evasive action immediately raised suspicions. Officers pursued and quickly stopped him for identification. The key to solving the case lay not with the rider’s documents, but with the scooter itself.
Police checked the serial number of the vehicle, a popular Xiaomi M365 model. Similar to a car’s registration or a national identity number, the manufacturer assigns this unique identification code to each unit. A quick check with central command confirmed their suspicions: the scooter was flagged as stolen.
A Three-Year-Old Case Solved
The database revealed a theft report for the scooter had been filed three years prior. Thieves stole it during a robbery with force from a storage room on Carrer del Greco, in Barcelona’s Nou Barris district. Approximately 6 kilometres separated the theft location from the recovery point.
Officers arrested the rider on suspicion of unlawful appropriation (apropiación indebida). Santa Coloma de Gramenet’s local police force has not released details regarding the suspect’s age, nationality, or prior criminal record. The recovered scooter was taken to a municipal depot, where it will be held in custody before its return to the original owner.
This incident highlights the ongoing issue of personal mobility vehicle theft and the challenges law enforcement faces. It also underscores the importance for owners to record their valuable items’ serial numbers. Similar incidents involving electric scooters have become increasingly common across the metropolitan area.
