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Date Published: 23/05/2025

Shooting and attempted kidnapping set off alarm bells in Orihuela Costa

Orihuela Costa residents are demanding a larger police presence as serious crime skyrockets

Tensions are rising in Orihuela Costa following a wave of terrifying crimes, including a shooting and an attempted kidnapping in the last few days. These shocking incidents, coupled with an increasing number of burglaries, have left residents demanding stronger police presence and better security measures along the coast.

The Guardia Civil is currently investigating a violent incident that occurred on Tuesday May 13, when a man was seriously injured by a gunshot in the busy La Zenia area, near popular restaurants like De Bassus and Zenia Lounge and just a short stroll from the Boulevard.

So far, the authorities have released very little information about the victim, apart from confirming that he has been receiving medical treatment since the attack.

Just a few days later, on Monday May 19, an attempted kidnapping on the coast added to the community’s fears. In this case, the victim managed to escape, and witnesses reported seeing a grey vehicle, possibly a Volkswagen Golf or a Mazda estate, fleeing the scene.

The incident was shared on Facebook by the residents’ group Unidos por la Costa, who urged anyone with information to come forward. So rare is this kind of incident in Orihuela Costa that many readers simply didn’t believe it.

What’s added to the concern is the silence from the Local Police on their own social media channels, which have been inactive since April. The inactivity follows a political standoff between the City Council and commissioner José María Pomares after his forced retirement.

“This open war between the City Council and the security force does no good for the Local Police or the residents,” Unidos por la Costa stated.

The group is calling for urgent improvements, adding that what the community needs is for police resources to be more in line with its needs, especially considering “the serious increase in crimes that has been occurring in recent months.”

"What needs to be done is quite simple: pay attention, give it a little love and allocate the necessary resources," they stress, while demanding "more resources, means, schedules, presence, communication, deterrence, control of conflictive issues and the use of drones and cameras."

The group is also asking for longer opening hours at the Coastal Emergency Centre, which currently only operates on weekday mornings, as well as an interpreter for foreigners, public access to crime data and the reactivation of police communication channels online.

Román Jiménez, president of the Orihuela Costa Independence Party (PIOC), echoed these concerns.

“A beautiful Emergency Centre – 4,700 square metres – totally wasted, without Civil Protection or firefighters and with a minimal Police force,” he said.

“Our future is for Orihuela Costa to govern itself.”

Despite having 30,000 registered residents, locals insist the true population can swell to more than 100,000 during peak tourist season. They argue that policing should reflect real demand, not just census numbers.

Adding to the challenge is the nature of the area itself: sprawling, scattered urbanisations housing residents from more than 40 nationalities. Many homes sit empty much of the year and neighbours often don’t know each other.

All of this creates a breeding ground for crime, the group warned.

Reports of squatting are also on the rise in neighbourhoods like Cabo Roig. In response, a special task force was created last May to target illegal occupations, which have long been a source of tension and fear among residents. Although some progress has been made, locals say more officers and patrols are still needed.

A special summer security plan last year saw 66 officers deployed across the area – just 11 more than the year before. Whether that will be enough this year remains to be seen.

These rising crime concerns were tragically underscored last November by the murder of 15-year-old Chloe in Playa Flamenca, who was allegedly killed by her 17-year-old ex-boyfriend. The crime brought national attention to longstanding problems in the area including poor infrastructure, dark and crumbling streets and a sense of isolation after sunset.

To make matters worse, just days before Chloe’s murder, a family in Torrezenia in Lomas de Cabo Roig was robbed at gunpoint after intruders entered the wrong house by mistake, threatening and attacking a man and a woman inside.

These incidents paint a troubling picture for Orihuela Costa, where residents have been saying for years that they feel abandoned and calls for real action seem to be falling on deaf ears.

Image: Drefer via Wikimedia Commons

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