Several areas were hit by the torrential downpour, not only Valencia, but undoubtedly, Valencia was the worse hit.

Not everybody there was caught at home or in their vehicles travelling home when the deluge thundered down the streets; some were in shopping centres, and it seems that quite a few took the opportunity to loot shops after smashing through the shop windows.

The shoping centres that suffered the most pillaging were Bonaire in Aldaia and MN4 in Alfafar, as well as ones in Paiporta (see our article from yesterday on this Valencian town). In many cases the shops were already destroyed, as can be seen in the photo above.

On the Wednesday night, the Policía Nacional arrested a total of 60 people, amongst them several minors, for theft in shopping areas affected by the downpour.

According to the police, by Thursday they had managed to recover many of the stolen items. Furthermore, the number of reported arrests will increase, they consider, as the Guardia Civil have still not made it known how many looters they have arrested.

Editorial comment: in a very small way, you can understand somebody who loots food for fear of shortages and their family going hungry, but when they walk away with TVs and other such items, there can be no ‘understanding’ whatsoever, only condemnation.

(News: Valencia)

Keywords, Flooding, Damage, Shopping Centres, Looting, Arrests, Paiporta