Ex-policeman arrested for armed robbery in Palma

THREE people have been remanded in prison without bail accused of an armed robbery in La Porciuncula, Palma, in late July.

They allegedly stole a car at gunpoint and took almost €300,000.

One of them is a former National Police officer who was expelled from the force after being sentenced to eight years in prison for several robberies between 2002 and 2005. It appears he planned the attack.

Wearing police vests, they ordered a driver to stop and thinking they were police officers, obeyed, but he and two other occupants of the vehicle were then threatened with a gun and told to leave the car. They were carrying the takings of several businesses in s’Arenal in the vehicle at the time.

The men then fled in the vehicle towards Llucmajor and a manhunt was launched by the National Police, also involving the Guardia Civil and Local Police.

The stolen Volkswagen Golf was later found nearby and police suspect the men had another vehicle waiting in which they could escape.

The other suspects are a police officer who had been involved in several confrontations with his superiors a few years ago, and a Cuban resident of Palma.

Police are investigating how they knew the money would be in the vehicle and suspect the involvement of someone linked to the company and further arrests are likely.

They have recovered around €20,000 in the homes of the detainees and are investigating whether the rest of the money has recently been used to purchase property.