Five young men of Moroccan origin have been arrested after allegedly attempting to kidnap a resident of Torre Pacheco in broad daylight outside his home.

The suspects allegedly tried to overpower the victim and force him into a van, threatening him with a large machete measuring 47cm.

The blade, shown by the Guardia Civil in a video, resembles the zombie knives used by gangs in London.

The incident unfolded in two separate attacks just hours apart. During the first attempt, the swift reaction of relatives and neighbours who were nearby prevented the plan from being carried out.

The attackers later returned and confronted the victim again, as well as a family member, sparking a violent altercation that left people injured after several relatives also became involved.

The Guardia Civil launched an immediate investigation and identified the alleged perpetrators in less than a week.

Officers arrested five individuals, including one minor, who are considered responsible for the events.

Those detained are facing charges of attempted unlawful detention, assault and damage to property, as the attacks involved not only physical violence but also damage to nearby property.

Investigators have underlined the crucial role played by local residents, whose intervention prevented the kidnapping from being completed on both occasions.

Despite this, the victim sustained injuries as a result of the violence used by the attackers.

Residents of the area have voiced concern about rising insecurity, insisting that this was not an isolated incident and that assaults, fights and violent episodes have become increasingly frequent in the municipality.

Race riots

Days of violence gripped Torre Pacheco last summer after local pensioner Domingo, 68, was attacked by three men while out on his daily early morning walk.

He was left with a black eye and nasty facial injuries after he was approached by three youths, reported to be of North African origin, before one of them launched a random assault, it was alleged.

After pictures of Domingo’s injuries and the details of his attackers surfaced online, the story was jumped upon by far-right forces on X and other social media platforms.

A video showing an old man being attacked by a group of Moroccans was widely shared on Whatsapp and social media. It claimed to be footage of Domingo’s assault, but it was, in fact, an entirely different incident.

Regardless, far-right agitators soon descended on the town to carry out ‘hunts’ for migrants.

In one shocking incident, an innocent kebab shop was attacked by a group of the thugs.