Since the onset of this year, the seaside town of Los Cristianos, located within the municipality of Arona, has experienced numerous vehicle infernos on public thoroughfares, which have prompted worry and alarm among the local populace. Comparable incidents have been recorded in the San Lorenzo Valley and Las Galletas, albeit in a more sporadic fashion. The situation in Los Cristianos is distinctly different, as municipal sources inform this publication that the occurrences appear interconnected, rather than isolated incidents without any links.
To date, at least 12 vehicles have been totally destroyed by fire in various locations within this renowned coastal tourist hub, including incidents on Berna Street, Norway Avenue, and in proximity to the Post Office, with the most recent camera capturing the flames in Los Cristianos 3.
In spite of community efforts to gather evidence and growing disquiet in the vicinity, some residents have opted to take matters into their own hands by sharing photographs and descriptions of the alleged offender. According to their suspicions, an individual has been repeatedly observed lingering in these areas, generally clad entirely in black attire, complete with a matching cap, carrying a suitcase and a red fuel canister.
These traits have led a number of neighbours to conjecture that this individual might be the sole instigator of these arson incidents. Footage from security cameras, which DIARIO DE AVISOS has accessed, reveals a man matching this description near the sites of several fires.
In light of this troubling landscape, the Security Councillor, Alexis Gómez, remarks that “investigations are underway and patrols are being intensified, with the objective of identifying those accountable,” without specifying whether it is a single individual or multiple suspects. Concurrently, the PSOE has called for an urgent assembly of the local Security Board, a group that has not convened for several years.
CHRONOLOGY
The initial incident recorded in Los Cristianos occurred at the start of the year on Berna Street, where three vehicles ignited simultaneously. A month later, two more automobiles in the same locality were engulfed in flames on the opposite side of the street. Three weeks ago, on Ático Street, adjacent to the Post Office, yet another fire affected three cars and caused flames to spread to nearby palm trees.
The latest inferno transpired in the Cristianos 3 complex, where three additional vehicles were entirely consumed by the fire, as evidenced in the accompanying images.
This surge in vehicular attacks on public streets has left residents on verge. According to local inhabitants, the demand for garages has notably escalated in recent weeks, as many now prefer not to leave their cars exposed in the streets out of fear they may be set ablaze.
Community Alarm
The “absence of actions” from local authorities has also fueled frustration among residents. Some have even started to band together to attempt to identify the perpetrator(s) behind these incidents. Yeray Risco, one of those affected by the incineration of his vehicle on Norway Avenue, has gathered photographs and videos of the suspect using the area’s security cameras, and criticises the authorities’ inaction: “No one has reached out to us.”
According to Risco, locals have seen the suspect again, albeit dressed differently, yet still carrying the same suitcase. “He is someone who is meticulous about every detail. In his latest act, he made sure not to drag this suitcase on the ground to avoid making noise.”
LEGAL ACTION TAKEN
The Security Councillor acknowledges the residents’ concerns and asserts that proactive measures are being implemented to address the issues. According to Gómez, “investigations are being pursued and efforts are being made daily to ascertain the facts.” He also clarifies that the investigations are overseen by the Civil Guard and that the case is currently subject to legal proceedings.
Gómez explained that, owing to the sensitive nature of the investigations, no further details can be disclosed to avoid jeopardising the process, but indicated that Local Police patrols have been intensified in the affected areas.
In a press statement, the PSOE has requested the immediate assembly of the local Security Board, the body responsible for coordinating efforts among security services to comprehensively tackle security concerns within the municipality.
The Los Cristianos case, alongside these sporadic incidents in other areas of Arona, is not the solitary situation of this nature in the region. In Vilaflor, a man was apprehended last July for allegedly igniting up to 15 fires that impacted vehicles, farms, and woodlands in the town. Among the notable points, the authorities highlight that the arrested individual may be linked to the blaze that disrupted communications in the Guaza Mountain area.
Despite these similarities, Councillor Gómez dismisses the notion that the incidents in Los Cristianos are connected to the Vilaflor case: “These are entirely distinct regions. The arson of vehicles is a more targeted issue, while the other case aimed at broader destruction.”
