GRAN CANARIA, Spain — A young foreign tourist has been arrested by the Spanish National Police on suspicion of fraud after allegedly abandoning a hotel in the municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana without settling a bill totaling 2,483 euros.
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The investigation was launched after hotel management reported that a family, consisting of two adults and a minor, had vacated the premises following an eleven-night, all-inclusive stay without formalizing payment. The reservation had been made through the establishment’s official website, with a bank card provided as a guarantee. However, when the hotel attempted to process the final charge upon the conclusion of the stay, the transaction failed to clear.
Hotel staff made repeated attempts to contact the individual who made the booking to resolve the outstanding balance. According to authorities, the suspect initially expressed an intention to settle the debt, citing difficulties accessing her bank card while already at the airport. However, she subsequently ceased all communication and failed to remit the pending payment.
Upon receiving the formal complaint, agents from the National Police initiated a targeted location operation. This proactive measure allowed authorities to identify and apprehend the suspect at the border control checkpoint of Gran Canaria Airport, effectively preventing her from departing the island.
Following her detention and the completion of necessary judicial procedures, the arrested individual was transferred to the Maspalomas National Police Station for further processing. She has since been placed at the disposal of the judicial authorities to face the corresponding fraud charges.
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The Spanish National Police reiterated its firm commitment to protecting the Canary Islands’ tourism sector, which serves as a fundamental pillar of the archipelago’s economy. Authorities emphasized their intensified collaboration with local hospitality establishments to combat any criminal activity that threatens their operations. Officials also issued a stern reminder to all visitors that attempts to evade payment for contracted services will be rigorously investigated, and those responsible will face the full extent of criminal liability under Spanish law.
