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Date Published: 21/11/2024

British family held at gunpoint in case of mistaken identity in Spain

Four armed men broke into the Lomas de Cabo Roig home and attacked the terrified expats

Urbanisation in Lomas de Cabo Roig

An expat family living in the Torrezenia urbanisation of Lomas de Cabo Roig in Spain’s Orihuela Costa has recently spoken out about a terrifying home invasion ordeal that left an English man and his Irish wife fearing for their lives.

Although the frightening ordeal occurred back in October, the family has remained quiet for fear of reprisals; now, they have chosen to share their story in an effort to prompt a higher police presence along the coast.

The home invasion took place on Spain’s Costa Blanca Mediterranean coast. It all began when the family, who wish to remain anonymous, were awoken in the early hours of the morning by the sound of their dogs barking. The father, an English primary school teacher, went outside to investigate and was confronted by four masked individuals carrying pistols, rifles and wearing balaclavas and gloves.

He was viciously smashed on the head with the butt of a rifle and ordered to lie on the ground at gunpoint.

Meanwhile, his wife, who was waiting inside, heard the screams and also came out. With her husband lying on the concrete and blood everywhere, she assumed he was dead. His attackers then beat her, inflicting a serious head wound which later required 18 stitches.

The assailants, who were reportedly searching for a stash of drugs, ransacked the family's home. Realising there were no narcotics on the property, the attackers dragged the couple to another house nearby, but they soon fled the scene in a van parked down the street.

The traumatised and badly injured family called the police, who quickly established that the attackers had mistaken the couple's house for a different property, where they believed a rival gang had hidden a cache of hashish.

Their ordeal was a result of this mistaken identity, and they were fortunate to escape with their lives.

The family has spoken out about their experience in the hope of raising awareness about the need for increased police presence in Orihuela Costa. The area has seen a rise in home robberies and the family believes that more patrols are needed to deter crime.

The Unidos por la Costa association has echoed the family's concerns, calling for more police officers to be deployed in the area. The association points out that the current police force is based on the registered population, which is around 30,000.

However, the actual population of Orihuela Costa is more than 100,000, leaving a significant gap in policing resources.

In other news: Alicante-Athens flights coming in March 2025

Image: Lomas de Cabo Roig Facebook group

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