A young man in Motril handed in a backpack containing 2,000 euros in cash, a mobile phone, a tablet and an expensive watch after finding it.

The Councillor for Citizen Safety, María Ángeles Escámez, had nothing but words of praise for the 26-year-old man saying, “This incident allows us to continue believing that we are generally surrounded by good people,”

The incident occurred on Sunday the 21st when the Miguel Ángel Sáez walked into the municipal-police station and handed in the said backpack with its contents intact after having found it lying on a pavement.

He had been moving house and was constantly moving back and forwards along the Avenida de Andalucia with boxes, etc. A woman stopped him to say that he had dropped something, pointing to the backpack. He pointed out that it was not his and at was at first a little worried about what it may contain – a sign of the times.

Before the day was out the police had identified and informed the owner that her lost item was at the station waiting for her.

Consequently, the man has been informed that his name has been put forward for a civil medal by both the police chief and the said councillor (see photo).

But not everything in Motril was rosy that particular Sunday because in the town centre a father and son, aged 57 an 35, who run a shop, managed to retain a would-be thief in the establishment until the police arrived.

Although the police were grateful, they recommend that people do not try to confront thieves in this manner and to instead phone the police immediately.

(News: Motril, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)