The residents of the Salamanca neighbourhood in the capital of Tenerife can no longer endure the situation. Following a recent surge in thefts impacting over 15 local businesses in recent months, the area now faces an influx of drug users, accompanying drug trade, nighttime disturbances, excessive drinking, homelessness, and even alleged cases of prostitution. This has left the local community on edge, prompting them to voice their concerns regarding the “insecurity and unsanitary conditions” they confront daily.
Those affected have united to send a letter to the Santa Cruz City Council, demanding the closure of the promenade connecting Santiago Cuadrado Street with Asuncionistas Avenue, now named Paseo Cineastas Teodoro y Santiago Ríos, which they claim has become a hotspot for these issues.
Residents explained to DIARIO DE AVISOS that they have been “enduring this problem for years, which began along the path next to the Santos ravine and has worsened recently. Daily, we encounter empty bottles, condoms, and even syringes, in addition to the faeces and urine of dogs that their owners neglect to clean. This leads to intolerable odours in our homes and a significant influx of flies,” they asserted.
They further noted that “since 2013, we have been facing this issue in the promenade, which has deteriorated in recent months. However, police presence is minimal, and the City Council remains unresponsive, despite cleaning crews visiting regularly, which is insufficient to resolve the ongoing problem.”
Compounding these safety and health concerns, they mentioned that “two women frequently come to feed the pigeons in this area, which is prohibited by the council, resulting in another breeding ground for infection, as it attracts rats and cockroaches.”
In this regard, the residents of Salamanca collectively urge for the promenade to either be closed or for increased police and cleaning presence in order to address the dire circumstances they are facing.
Thefts
In another matter, the La Arboleda Neighbourhood Association reiterated its concerns over the rising number of thefts affecting merchants in the Salamanca neighbourhood. Since May, there have been 14 reported incidents; recently, instances of violent thefts and robberies involving weapons have also emerged in additional businesses, as reported by DIARIO DE AVISOS earlier this month.
In recent weeks, four incidents of robberies involving intimidation occurred at various premises, with another occurring on the 23rd, when a masked individual robbed the Forshop store with a knife at approximately 3:15 p.m. This incident was captured by the shop’s security cameras and has been reported to the police.
This situation prompted La Arboleda to meet with the Centro-Ifara district council, along with local and National Police representatives, in search of strategies to combat crime in the neighbourhood. However, according to the association, “patrol cars were present for a couple of days but have since disappeared.”
