10,089 recorded offences in 2025, up from 9,316 in 2024 - rise of 8.3%.
Article in English:
https://www.todoalicante.es/english/tor ... 24-nt.html
Torrevieja Criticises Spanish Government Over Rising Crime Rate
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Re: Torrevieja Criticises Spanish Government Over Rising Crime Rate
It would be interesting to see the statistics as to who are committing the offences. Perhaps by nationality in descending order.
Re: Torrevieja Criticises Spanish Government Over Rising Crime Rate
Latest crime figures for Torrevieja show they are down 9% in first seven months of 2026 compared to same period in 2025.
https://www.elperiodic.com/torrevieja/t ... as_1089618
Google translate, minus image:
Torrevieja sees a sharp drop in crime this summer, but the mayor warns: “We don’t just need reinforcements for a few weeks.”
Torrevieja has registered a general decrease in criminal offenses during the first seven months of 2026. Between January and July, crime fell by more than 9% compared to the same period in 2025, a trend that continued during the summer months despite the significant population increase experienced by the municipality.
This was highlighted by the Deputy Government Delegate in Alicante, Manuel Pineda, and the Colonel Chief of the Civil Guard Command in Alicante, Francisco Poyato, who emphasized the latest crime statistics and the work carried out daily by the Security Forces in Torrevieja.
Data for the first seven months of the year show that criminal offenses have decreased by more than 9% compared to the same period last year. This trend has occurred in both conventional crime, which has also decreased by more than 9%, and cybercrime, which has seen a reduction of nearly 10%.
The mayor warns about the data for the year as a whole.
Mayor Eduardo Dolón has responded to the Deputy Government Delegate in Alicante, Manuel Pineda, after the latter highlighted this morning the decrease in criminal offenses recorded during the first months of 2026. Eduardo Dolón clarified that the Torrevieja City Council has not questioned whether a reduction may have occurred during a specific period this year and pointed out that any positive trend in crime is good news for the city.
However, the mayor has warned that data corresponding only to the first quarter of 2026 cannot be used to downplay the full balance for 2025 or to avoid responding to the demand made by the City Council: the permanent increase in the number of Civil Guard officers stationed in Torrevieja.
Violent robberies, burglaries, and thefts are down.
The reduction in crime has extended to some of the main types of offenses. Specifically, robberies with violence and intimidation have decreased by more than 20%, while burglaries have fallen by more than 11%.
There has also been a positive trend in thefts, which have experienced a decrease of more than 8% during the period analyzed.
Less crime also during the summer
Data for the summer period maintains this trend. Between June 1 and August 20, 2026, the number of criminal offenses decreased by more than 7% compared to the same period last year, with a general reduction in the main types of crime.
The Government Sub-delegation has highlighted these figures due to the significant population increase that Torrevieja experiences during the summer months. Although the official population of the municipality was 106,350 inhabitants in 2025, the estimate based on water consumption places the average number of residents during that year at around 291,000.
The figure increases even more during the summer, when peaks occur that exceed 400,000 inhabitants.
“These figures demonstrate that residents and visitors of Torrevieja can rest assured. We in political office must take these figures seriously when analyzing and evaluating them because the Spanish government is demonstrating that security is a priority. Behind these numbers lies the ongoing work of prevention, surveillance, and investigation by the Civil Guard, in coordination with the Local Police,” Pineda stated.
The mayor is asking for more Civil Guard officers.
“We are pleased that criminal offenses may decrease in a quarter, but that does not change the official figures for 2025 as a whole, nor does it mean that Torrevieja has the state personnel it needs,” Eduardo Dolón pointed out.
The mayor reiterated that the City Council has simply reproduced information published by the Ministry of the Interior itself. According to these official figures, Torrevieja recorded a total of 10,089 criminal offenses in 2025, compared to 9,316 in 2024, representing an 8.3% increase. “These figures are not compiled by the City Council, nor are they a subjective assessment by the mayor. They are the official data from the Ministry of the Interior for a full year,” he emphasized.
Eduardo Dolón believes that comparing the 2025 annual report with provisional data corresponding only to the first months of 2026 involves conflating different periods. Therefore, he insisted that the debate should not focus on selecting the most favorable percentage, but rather on analyzing whether the Civil Guard's staffing levels are sufficient to meet the municipality's actual needs. "A temporary decrease is positive, but it cannot become an excuse to downplay a situation that requires more resources and stable planning," he stated.
The mayor has made it clear that the city's request does not represent any criticism of the Civil Guard officers stationed in Torrevieja. On the contrary, he has publicly acknowledged their professionalism, dedication, and effort, as well as the daily coordination they maintain with the Local Police. “No one is questioning the extraordinary work of the Civil Guard officers. Precisely because we know the effort they make and the difficulties they face, we are demanding that their numbers be increased and that they be provided with the necessary resources,” he stated.
Dolón has insisted that special measures and temporary reinforcements during the summer are necessary, but they do not solve the structural deficit suffered by a city with almost 115,000 registered inhabitants and whose population multiplies during the main tourist periods, reaching figures of 450,000 to 500,000 inhabitants in summer.
“Torrevieja doesn’t just need reinforcements for a few weeks. It needs a stable, sufficient force, sized appropriately for its actual population, its area, and its high level of tourism,” the mayor stated, adding that “we want a safe city, and we want the residents of Torrevieja and visitors to have the peace of mind of knowing that its streets are secure, and that is only possible with a greater presence of Civil Guard officers.”
Eduardo Dolón contrasted the municipal response with the lack of a corresponding increase in state personnel. The City Council has expanded the selection process for Local Police officers to 63 positions, a process that forms part of the municipal commitment to continue increasing the force and reach 200 active local police officers before the end of this term.
“The City Council is fulfilling its responsibilities, creating new positions and making a significant financial and organizational effort to strengthen the Local Police. What we are asking is that the Spanish Government also fulfill its responsibilities and make a similar effort with the Civil Guard,” he stated.
An average response time of five minutes to incidents
For his part, Francisco Poyato highlighted the work carried out by the Main Post of the Civil Guard of Torrevieja, based mainly on prevention through the presence of the greatest possible number of citizen security patrols, along with operational and investigative actions.
According to the report, the average response time to incidents reported by citizens is five minutes. Furthermore, no incidents, complaints, or instances of dissatisfaction related to patrol actions in response to received reports have been recorded.
The mayor reiterated that Torrevieja needs a structural and permanent increase in state security personnel and asked the sub-delegate of the Government to convey this need to the Ministry of the Interior. “What we expect from the sub-delegate is not that he try to refute the City Council using incomplete data, but rather that he understand the reality of Torrevieja, defend the needs of its residents, and demand from the Spanish Government the Civil Guard officers that a city of our size deserves,” he stated.
Eduardo Dolón has affirmed that the City Council will continue to raise this demand “with institutional respect, loyalty, and a willingness to collaborate, but also with absolute firmness.” “We can discuss the percentages and compare different periods, but the essential question remains unanswered: Does the Spanish Government believe that Torrevieja has enough Civil Guard officers? We are certain that it does not, and that is why we will continue to demand the reinforcement that the city needs,” the mayor concluded.
Operations against drugs and organized crime
Preventive measures have been complemented by intense operational activity against organized crime and drug dealing. During this period, numerous operations have been carried out against drug sales points and cannabis associations.
These operations have led to arrests, seizures, and the dismantling of stolen goods distribution points. Several operations have been carried out in areas considered particularly problematic within the municipality, such as the so-called "red flats" and the Torretas residential development.
Likewise, the preventive activity carried out by the patrols has made it possible to identify, arrest and bring to justice numerous people against whom there were judicial warrants or European arrest warrants.
Special equipment for major events in Torrevieja
The Civil Guard is also maintaining specific security measures in place for some of the main events taking place in the city. According to the report provided, events such as Low Festival, Brilla Torrevieja, and Habaneras are proceeding normally and without any major incidents.
Pineda and Poyato also highlighted the coordination between the Civil Guard and the Local Police of Torrevieja , both in preventive and operational deployments, as well as in responding to incidents and exchanging police information.
This collaboration also includes the protection of victims of gender violence, the prevention of street vending, and special measures related to events and leisure areas.
Plans to strengthen the security of sensitive groups and spaces
The Civil Guard also maintains various operational plans aimed at reinforcing the protection of particularly vulnerable groups and areas. These include the Senior Citizen Safety Plan, the Master Plan for coexistence and improved security in schools, the Action Plan for leisure areas, the Safe Commerce Plan, and the Safe Tourism Plan.
Pineda insisted that “the safety of citizens is a priority for the Government of Spain” and highlighted that the evolution of the data demonstrates “the great work carried out daily by the Civil Guard and the Local Police to ensure that Torrevieja remains a safe city, even during times of the year when its population multiplies.”
“The citizens of Torrevieja can rest assured: the Security Forces are doing a great job and we will continue to provide all the necessary resources to guarantee their safety and peace of mind,” he concluded.
https://www.elperiodic.com/torrevieja/t ... as_1089618
Google translate, minus image:
Torrevieja sees a sharp drop in crime this summer, but the mayor warns: “We don’t just need reinforcements for a few weeks.”
Torrevieja has registered a general decrease in criminal offenses during the first seven months of 2026. Between January and July, crime fell by more than 9% compared to the same period in 2025, a trend that continued during the summer months despite the significant population increase experienced by the municipality.
This was highlighted by the Deputy Government Delegate in Alicante, Manuel Pineda, and the Colonel Chief of the Civil Guard Command in Alicante, Francisco Poyato, who emphasized the latest crime statistics and the work carried out daily by the Security Forces in Torrevieja.
Data for the first seven months of the year show that criminal offenses have decreased by more than 9% compared to the same period last year. This trend has occurred in both conventional crime, which has also decreased by more than 9%, and cybercrime, which has seen a reduction of nearly 10%.
The mayor warns about the data for the year as a whole.
Mayor Eduardo Dolón has responded to the Deputy Government Delegate in Alicante, Manuel Pineda, after the latter highlighted this morning the decrease in criminal offenses recorded during the first months of 2026. Eduardo Dolón clarified that the Torrevieja City Council has not questioned whether a reduction may have occurred during a specific period this year and pointed out that any positive trend in crime is good news for the city.
However, the mayor has warned that data corresponding only to the first quarter of 2026 cannot be used to downplay the full balance for 2025 or to avoid responding to the demand made by the City Council: the permanent increase in the number of Civil Guard officers stationed in Torrevieja.
Violent robberies, burglaries, and thefts are down.
The reduction in crime has extended to some of the main types of offenses. Specifically, robberies with violence and intimidation have decreased by more than 20%, while burglaries have fallen by more than 11%.
There has also been a positive trend in thefts, which have experienced a decrease of more than 8% during the period analyzed.
Less crime also during the summer
Data for the summer period maintains this trend. Between June 1 and August 20, 2026, the number of criminal offenses decreased by more than 7% compared to the same period last year, with a general reduction in the main types of crime.
The Government Sub-delegation has highlighted these figures due to the significant population increase that Torrevieja experiences during the summer months. Although the official population of the municipality was 106,350 inhabitants in 2025, the estimate based on water consumption places the average number of residents during that year at around 291,000.
The figure increases even more during the summer, when peaks occur that exceed 400,000 inhabitants.
“These figures demonstrate that residents and visitors of Torrevieja can rest assured. We in political office must take these figures seriously when analyzing and evaluating them because the Spanish government is demonstrating that security is a priority. Behind these numbers lies the ongoing work of prevention, surveillance, and investigation by the Civil Guard, in coordination with the Local Police,” Pineda stated.
The mayor is asking for more Civil Guard officers.
“We are pleased that criminal offenses may decrease in a quarter, but that does not change the official figures for 2025 as a whole, nor does it mean that Torrevieja has the state personnel it needs,” Eduardo Dolón pointed out.
The mayor reiterated that the City Council has simply reproduced information published by the Ministry of the Interior itself. According to these official figures, Torrevieja recorded a total of 10,089 criminal offenses in 2025, compared to 9,316 in 2024, representing an 8.3% increase. “These figures are not compiled by the City Council, nor are they a subjective assessment by the mayor. They are the official data from the Ministry of the Interior for a full year,” he emphasized.
Eduardo Dolón believes that comparing the 2025 annual report with provisional data corresponding only to the first months of 2026 involves conflating different periods. Therefore, he insisted that the debate should not focus on selecting the most favorable percentage, but rather on analyzing whether the Civil Guard's staffing levels are sufficient to meet the municipality's actual needs. "A temporary decrease is positive, but it cannot become an excuse to downplay a situation that requires more resources and stable planning," he stated.
The mayor has made it clear that the city's request does not represent any criticism of the Civil Guard officers stationed in Torrevieja. On the contrary, he has publicly acknowledged their professionalism, dedication, and effort, as well as the daily coordination they maintain with the Local Police. “No one is questioning the extraordinary work of the Civil Guard officers. Precisely because we know the effort they make and the difficulties they face, we are demanding that their numbers be increased and that they be provided with the necessary resources,” he stated.
Dolón has insisted that special measures and temporary reinforcements during the summer are necessary, but they do not solve the structural deficit suffered by a city with almost 115,000 registered inhabitants and whose population multiplies during the main tourist periods, reaching figures of 450,000 to 500,000 inhabitants in summer.
“Torrevieja doesn’t just need reinforcements for a few weeks. It needs a stable, sufficient force, sized appropriately for its actual population, its area, and its high level of tourism,” the mayor stated, adding that “we want a safe city, and we want the residents of Torrevieja and visitors to have the peace of mind of knowing that its streets are secure, and that is only possible with a greater presence of Civil Guard officers.”
Eduardo Dolón contrasted the municipal response with the lack of a corresponding increase in state personnel. The City Council has expanded the selection process for Local Police officers to 63 positions, a process that forms part of the municipal commitment to continue increasing the force and reach 200 active local police officers before the end of this term.
“The City Council is fulfilling its responsibilities, creating new positions and making a significant financial and organizational effort to strengthen the Local Police. What we are asking is that the Spanish Government also fulfill its responsibilities and make a similar effort with the Civil Guard,” he stated.
An average response time of five minutes to incidents
For his part, Francisco Poyato highlighted the work carried out by the Main Post of the Civil Guard of Torrevieja, based mainly on prevention through the presence of the greatest possible number of citizen security patrols, along with operational and investigative actions.
According to the report, the average response time to incidents reported by citizens is five minutes. Furthermore, no incidents, complaints, or instances of dissatisfaction related to patrol actions in response to received reports have been recorded.
The mayor reiterated that Torrevieja needs a structural and permanent increase in state security personnel and asked the sub-delegate of the Government to convey this need to the Ministry of the Interior. “What we expect from the sub-delegate is not that he try to refute the City Council using incomplete data, but rather that he understand the reality of Torrevieja, defend the needs of its residents, and demand from the Spanish Government the Civil Guard officers that a city of our size deserves,” he stated.
Eduardo Dolón has affirmed that the City Council will continue to raise this demand “with institutional respect, loyalty, and a willingness to collaborate, but also with absolute firmness.” “We can discuss the percentages and compare different periods, but the essential question remains unanswered: Does the Spanish Government believe that Torrevieja has enough Civil Guard officers? We are certain that it does not, and that is why we will continue to demand the reinforcement that the city needs,” the mayor concluded.
Operations against drugs and organized crime
Preventive measures have been complemented by intense operational activity against organized crime and drug dealing. During this period, numerous operations have been carried out against drug sales points and cannabis associations.
These operations have led to arrests, seizures, and the dismantling of stolen goods distribution points. Several operations have been carried out in areas considered particularly problematic within the municipality, such as the so-called "red flats" and the Torretas residential development.
Likewise, the preventive activity carried out by the patrols has made it possible to identify, arrest and bring to justice numerous people against whom there were judicial warrants or European arrest warrants.
Special equipment for major events in Torrevieja
The Civil Guard is also maintaining specific security measures in place for some of the main events taking place in the city. According to the report provided, events such as Low Festival, Brilla Torrevieja, and Habaneras are proceeding normally and without any major incidents.
Pineda and Poyato also highlighted the coordination between the Civil Guard and the Local Police of Torrevieja , both in preventive and operational deployments, as well as in responding to incidents and exchanging police information.
This collaboration also includes the protection of victims of gender violence, the prevention of street vending, and special measures related to events and leisure areas.
Plans to strengthen the security of sensitive groups and spaces
The Civil Guard also maintains various operational plans aimed at reinforcing the protection of particularly vulnerable groups and areas. These include the Senior Citizen Safety Plan, the Master Plan for coexistence and improved security in schools, the Action Plan for leisure areas, the Safe Commerce Plan, and the Safe Tourism Plan.
Pineda insisted that “the safety of citizens is a priority for the Government of Spain” and highlighted that the evolution of the data demonstrates “the great work carried out daily by the Civil Guard and the Local Police to ensure that Torrevieja remains a safe city, even during times of the year when its population multiplies.”
“The citizens of Torrevieja can rest assured: the Security Forces are doing a great job and we will continue to provide all the necessary resources to guarantee their safety and peace of mind,” he concluded.
Re: Torrevieja Criticises Spanish Government Over Rising Crime Rate
'Several operations have been carried out in areas considered particularly problematic within the municipality, such as the so-called "red flats" and the Torretas residential development.'
I can't find any info on the ' red flats' or any problems associated with the Torretas 1,2 and 3.
I can't find any info on the ' red flats' or any problems associated with the Torretas 1,2 and 3.
Re: Torrevieja Criticises Spanish Government Over Rising Crime Rate
The reference to 'red flats' in this article was referred to in another as the 'red light district' of Torrevieja.Brandyboy wrote: 25 Aug 2026 09:19 'Several operations have been carried out in areas considered particularly problematic within the municipality, such as the so-called "red flats" and the Torretas residential development.'
I can't find any info on the ' red flats' or any problems associated with the Torretas 1,2 and 3.
Re: Torrevieja Criticises Spanish Government Over Rising Crime Rate
Okay, although obviously I wouldn't know about them.Carl wrote: 25 Aug 2026 10:46The reference to 'red flats' in this article was referred to in another as the 'red light district' of Torrevieja.Brandyboy wrote: 25 Aug 2026 09:19 'Several operations have been carried out in areas considered particularly problematic within the municipality, such as the so-called "red flats" and the Torretas residential development.'
I can't find any info on the ' red flats' or any problems associated with the Torretas 1,2 and 3.
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