Security guards catch suspect after jewellery raid at Gran Canaria shopping centre

Security guards caught and held a suspected robber after masked raiders used fire extinguishers and smashed display cabinets during a jewellery shop raid at Las Arenas shopping centre in Gran Canaria.

The robbery happened at around 9.30pm last night, Tuesday 13th October, shortly before closing time at the centre in Las Palmas. National Police have confirmed that an investigation is under way.

Three people with their faces covered entered the shop, activated fire extinguishers and broke the glass of several display cabinets before taking jewellery.

Security staff intercepted one of the suspects as the group attempted to escape. He was held at the centre until National Police officers arrived and arrested him.

Police are working to identify and locate the other people involved. The value of the jewellery stolen has not been disclosed, and no injuries have been reported.

Security intervention caught on camera

Footage circulating on social media shows a security guard restraining a suspect on the floor as he struggles to get away. Another hooded person can be seen approaching before turning and running in the opposite direction, pursued by security staff.

The images also show the reduced visibility after a fire extinguisher was discharged during the incident.

Although some initial accounts reported a second detention, the police-confirmed account available for this article establishes one arrest. The total number of people detained should therefore be treated with caution while enquiries continue.

Other jewellery shops targeted

The Las Arenas robbery follows two other raids at jewellery shops in Gran Canaria shopping centres in recent months.

On 7th July, masked robbers targeted a jeweller’s at El Mirador. Another robbery took place at Las Terrazas shopping centre in Telde on 17th September, when jewellery worth approximately €50,000 was stolen.

In that September incident, police said four masked people entered the shop, smashed display cabinets and took jewellery. Investigators believed a fifth person acted as a getaway driver. The group left in two vehicles, one of which had been reported stolen.

The timing of the robberies is one of several similarities: the shops were targeted close to closing time, and those involved concealed their faces.

However, no confirmed connection has been established between the people responsible for the earlier robberies and Tuesday’s raid at Las Arenas.

For now, the investigation into the latest incident remains open. Officers still need to establish the full circumstances of the robbery, identify the remaining suspects and determine the value of the jewellery taken from the shop.