A wanted thief who had been on the run for more than a year has been arrested in Tenerife after allegedly trying to escape from a routine police checkpoint in La Laguna.

The 29-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday afternoon after local police officers spotted him getting out of a car and running away as vehicles queued for document checks near the Las Chumberas neighbourhood.

Several officers chased him on foot through nearby streets before catching and restraining him using what police described as the minimum force necessary.

Police later confirmed the suspect was wanted by the courts in connection with a series of alleged opportunist thefts. Officers also found he was the subject of two outstanding court orders requiring his arrest and appearance before judicial authorities.

According to investigators, both the Local Police and the National Police had spent more than 18 months trying to find the man, who had previously avoided capture despite several attempts.

The suspect lives in the Finca España area of La Laguna, and reportedly has a number of previous convictions, including several linked to thefts in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

Following his arrest, he was taken to a health centre for a routine medical examination before being transferred to the National Police custody suite in La Laguna. He has since been brought before the courts.