An Irish woman has been arrested and accused of attempting to leave her hotel in Gran Canaria without settling a bill of approximately £2,100. The woman, who was staying with her partner and child at a resort in San Bartolome de Tirajana, was detained at the airport after the hotel reported her for non-payment.
Hotel reports unpaid stay
The National Police stated that the hotel management reported a family of two adults and one minor had left the premises after an 11-night all-inclusive stay without paying. The woman had made a reservation through the hotel's website using a bank card, but when the hotel attempted to charge the card after the stay, it was declined.
Hotel staff repeatedly tried to contact the woman to resolve the issue. Although she initially said she intended to pay and claimed she could not access her bank card because she was at the airport, she eventually stopped communicating without making any payment.
Arrest at the airport
The National Police launched a search and found the woman at Border Control at Gran Canaria Airport, where she was detained. She was taken to the Maspalomas National Police Station for processing and later brought before the judicial authorities. The woman's age has not been released, but she appeared in court this morning.
The police force emphasized its commitment to protecting the Canary Islands' tourism sector, a key part of the archipelago's economy, by strengthening cooperation with hotels to combat criminal activities affecting their operations.
