Agents of the National Police arrested a foreign young woman at Gran Canaria airport as she attempted to leave the island after failing to pay a hotel bill of €2,483 in San Bartolomé de Tirajana.
The National Police has detained a young woman of foreign origin as the alleged perpetrator of a fraud after she allegedly left a hotel in San Bartolomé de Tirajana without paying for a stay of €2,483. The woman was intercepted at the Border Post of Gran Canaria Airport as she was about to leave the island.
A family that left without paying for eleven all-inclusive nights
The investigation began when hotel management reported that a family, consisting of two adults and a minor, had left the premises after staying for eleven nights on an all-inclusive basis without formalising payment. The booking was made through the hotel's website, where a bank card was provided as a guarantee.
When attempting to charge the corresponding amount after the stay, the payment method did not allow the operation to be completed. Hotel staff tried to contact the person who made the reservation repeatedly to regularise the situation.
From the hotel to the airport: the excuse of banking problems
According to sources from the investigation, the alleged perpetrator initially expressed her intention to pay, claiming problems accessing her bank card while already at the airport. However, she ultimately ceased all communication without making the outstanding payment. The agents established a locating device that allowed them to identify her in the facilities of the Border Post of Gran Canaria Airport, where she was arrested before leaving the island.
After the arrest and the necessary judicial procedures, the detainee was transferred to the National Police Station of Maspalomas for the instruction of the corresponding proceedings, being subsequently placed at the disposal of the judicial authority.
Protection of the Canary Islands tourism sector
The National Police maintains a strong commitment to the protection of the Canary Islands tourism sector, an essential pillar of the archipelago's economy, intensifying collaboration with hotel establishments to combat any criminal modality that affects their activity. They remind visitors that attempts to evade payment for contracted services will be subject to police investigation to clarify any criminal responsibilities that may arise.
For the reader in the Canary Islands, this news highlights the importance of verifying payment methods in hotel bookings, especially in tourist destinations like Maspalomas, where fraud can impact the local economy. The arrest at the airport demonstrates the effectiveness of border controls in preventing criminals from leaving the island without facing consequences.
