Madrid
Have-a-go jeweller foils armed robbers at his Madrid store
By m.p. - Nov 1, 2009 - 3:59 PM
email this article
The robbery in progress - Público TV
He recovered most of their haul after escaping his bonds and chasing the thieves down the street
A badly-beaten Madrid jeweller managed to recover almost 120,000 € worth of merchandise stolen in a recent assault on his city centre store after escaping his bonds and chasing the two thieves down the street.
It happened at his store on Calle Guzmán el Bueno when Juan Martínez opened the door to a well-dressed man who had rung the bell enquiring for a gold watch for his daughter’s birthday, but who, once inside, pulled out a gun and hit him in the face with the butt of the pistol. He was left shut up in a room at the rear of the store, tied hand and foot, after a second man appeared on the scene.
ABC newspaper said Martínez suffered intermittent beatings during the time the two men remained on the premises collecting the items they found on display in the shop.
He managed to escape his bonds and ran out after the thieves after they fled the store, tackling the one who was carrying that morning’s haul, while friends passing by managed to bring the other man to the ground. Fortunately for the intrepid jeweller, the gun wielded by the second robber jammed as he attempted to fire at the injured man, who snatched back most of the jewellery before his assailant ran off.
Police later discovered that the thief who was captured was carrying a false Uruguayan passport and had arrived in Spain just days before the robbery. He and his companion are both believed to be from Argentina.