A woman was attacked from behind and allegedly strangled with a cord in Marbella, it has emerged.
The terrifying assault occurred in a car park in the centre of the town on Wednesday evening.
The incident happened at around 8.15pm as the woman was leaving work in the area of Avenida Puerta del Mar, opposite La Alameda park, and heading to her parked vehicle.
According to the account given to police, the attacker approached her from behind inside the gated car park, placed a cord around her neck and attempted to strangle her, before a struggle ensued.
During the altercation, both the victim and the suspect fell to the ground.
Investigators believe the assault was carried out with the intention of stealing her handbag. At some point during the struggle, the bag was thrown aside, allowing the woman to escape the car park and run for help.
She managed to reach a nearby taxi rank, where drivers responded to her calls for assistance. When the suspect later exited the car park, taxi drivers restrained him until Policia Nacional officers arrived at the scene.
The suspect was arrested on the spot. Officers later recovered the victim’s handbag and a knife allegedly carried by the man, as well as several plastic bags found in his possession.
The woman sustained visible injuries, including blows to the head, facial bruising and marks on her neck consistent with strangulation, according to police sources. She later attended a police station to file a formal complaint.
Investigators are treating the case as a violent attempted robbery. The woman is not believed to have known the suspect, and police are examining whether she may have been targeted after being observed leaving her workplace, which is linked to financial services.
The victim has been summoned to appear at a fast-track court hearing, where she is expected to identify the suspect. The investigation remains ongoing.
