A man has been arrested in South Tenerife after allegedly stealing two machetes from a hardware store in El Fraile, Arona. Police later discovered that he was also subject to an active deportation order from Spain.

The incident happened on Wednesday afternoon at a shop on Santa Cruz de La Palma Street in El Fraile. According to reports, the suspect entered the premises and allegedly took two large machetes before running from the shop.

A member of the public chased the man and alerted authorities. Local Police officers quickly arrived and joined the pursuit through nearby streets.

During the chase, the suspect reportedly discarded the machetes. It remains unclear why he took the weapons, and no further details about his motives have been released.

Officers eventually caught and arrested the man, who is described as being of foreign nationality. He was initially detained on suspicion of theft, which is considered a minor offence under Spanish law.

However, when officers checked police databases, they found that the suspect was already facing deportation from Spain under an existing order.

The case was then referred to the National Police Immigration Unit, which will now handle the relevant immigration procedures and determine the next steps.