Armed man who threatened to blow up the flat in which he had barricaded himself arrested in Benalmádena

Members of Spain's National Police force have arrested a 29-year-old man early this Monday morning (14 August) following a large deployment of officers in Benalmádena.

At around 1.45am, several people raised the alarm when they saw an individual with a large knife and a mask prowling around an area of holiday apartments in the Costa del Sol resort. The suspect then allegedly barricaded himself in one of these flats and threatened to blow up the property, as well as throwing objects from the terrace onto the public road.

Following the warnings and due to the resistance allegedly put up by the man, an extensive police operation was set up which lasted around five hours, until specialist officers managed to gain access to the house and capture the alleged perpetrator, aged 29. The suspect was arrested for the alleged offences of damage, threatening and attacking police officers and various other acts on previous occasions.

The alarm was raised by callers who reported that a person with his face hidden behind a mask and carrying a large knife was causing panic by wandering around the communal areas of the building in Benalmadena. He also allegedly emptied a fire extinguisher on the stairs.

The first to intervene were plainclothes officers, who went to the address provided to make initial enquiries. Once there, the police found a 25cm long-bladed knife next to the door of a flat. They knocked on the door and tried to get the inhabitant to open the door, but he refused.

The situation worsened when the individual, who had barricaded himself in the flat, allegedly began to throw objects into the street from the balcony. According to the National Police, among other things, he threw a fire extinguisher, a five-litre bucket containing boiling water and a corrosive substance - which gave off the smell of bleach - gym weights, seven knives, a microwave oven and kitchen utensils.

The officers had to cordon off the area to avoid risk to passers-by, as it was in a very busy location with access to the promenade of the Costa del Sol resort. In addition, at one point, the man allegedly threatened to cause an explosion while holding a lit candle in one hand and, in the other, a can that possibly contained a flammable liquid.

The suspect's resistance led to the development of an extensive police operation in the area with the participation of half a dozen patrols, the deployment of a negotiator and the presence of officers from the Special Operational Security Group (GOES). Police entered the house at around 6.30am and restrained the young man, who was alone in the property and had placed a fridge behind the front door of the house to prevent the police from entering.

The officers were also assisted by Benalmádena fire brigade members, who deployed a safety cushion in the street when the suspect threatened to jump from the balcony. There was significant damage to the property, communal areas of the building and vehicles parked in the area. No personal injuries were reported.