WATCH: Lockdown breaker tries sea escape and hiding out in a cave to avoid being nicked in Spain’s Tenerife

A MAN caught out and about in Las Galletas in Tenerife resorted to extreme measures to avoid being nicked by the Guardia Civil, leaping into the sea to get away and hiding out in a cave all day.

#AsíNO❗
Se arrojó al mar en Las Galletas para no ser identificado. Se activó un dispositivo de búsqueda y finalmente al día siguiente se personó ante la Guardia Civil diciendo que se había escondido en una cueva.

Fue detenido por desobediencia grave durante el #estadodealarma. pic.twitter.com/8KlNrdzxoK

— Guardia Civil (@guardiacivil) April 16, 2020

A Guardia patrol based at Playa de las Americas first came across the man on a public street. When they approached him to find out why he was not at home he shot off in the direction of the coast clutching a bag in his hand.

When the chap got close to the sea he ignored the officers’ orders to stop and instead hurled himself into a rocky area of the water.

It immediately became obvious the escapee was having trouble staying afloat. The Guardia reported he kept going under and was in difficulty.

Eventually he managed to cling to a rock, then officers lost sight of him.

A rescue operation involving Guardia Civil, mountain and sea rescue, a helicopter, Local Police and Civil Protection was launched, but after a day’s search there was still no trace of the man.

Then that night a woman contacted the Guardia to report she had not seen her husband since he went out for a walk. Judging by the description she gave and the circumstances it all pointed to it being the same person as the man they were looking for.

The hunt for the missing man resumed the following day. But at midday he walked into the Playa de las Americas Guardia station.

He told the officers he had hidden in a cave until late at night and then gone home.

His escapade led to his arrest on charges of serious disobedience of authority under the State of Alarm measures.