Two armed robbers have stormed a bank in southern Spain and held several people hostage during a terrifying ordeal.
The dramatic incident unfolded on Friday at a bank branch in San Pedro del Pinatar, Murcia, located directly opposite the town hall in the centre of the town, which is popular among British expats and tourists.
According to sources close to the investigation, the two suspects – one of them a minor – burst into the branch demanding money while carrying a fake firearm and a machete.
At the time of the robbery there were six people inside the bank: three employees and three customers.
The alarm was first raised by a customer who happened to be in the bathroom when the robbers entered the building. Hidden from the attackers, she was able to contact emergency services and alert authorities.
Local Police officers quickly arrived at the scene and began negotiating with the suspects from outside the bank.
After a tense standoff, officers managed to persuade the pair to release the hostages and give themselves up.
One of the hostages later described the terrifying moment the robbery began.
‘They pointed a gun at the cashier and at me and shouted ‘this is a robbery’,’ the witness said.
According to the victim, the attackers tied up the cashier and forced him to begin the timed process used to open the bank’s safe.
The hostages were then taken to the basement and ordered to kneel while they waited for the safe to unlock.
The robbers also demanded the hostages hand over their mobile phones. However, one victim had been on a call with a friend and did not manage to hang up, allowing the person on the other end of the line to realise something was wrong and alert police.
Another employee inside the bank also managed to activate the alarm system.
When police arrived, the robbers reportedly panicked and were unsure how to escape.
After negotiations with officers, both suspects eventually surrendered and were arrested. No one was injured in the incident.
The two detainees are known locally from previous incidents and are expected to face charges of robbery with violence and intimidation.
