Tenerife horror as British OAP 'murdered in botched robbery' while celebrating birthday

Three people have been arrested for the alleged homicide of a British tourist who suffered a violent robbery in Tenerife. The breakthrough comes as the National Police investigate the death of the 88-year-old man who suffered a severe head trauma after struggling with the main thief.

The investigation has been carried out by agents of the National Police of the South Police Station of Tenerife, after on Wednesday, June 17, the man and his wife, 79, suffered an attack in the area of Los Cristianos, in the municipality of Arona. The victims struggled with the main author of the theft, and during this, the elderly man fell to the ground and suffered serious trauma to the head.

He then went into cardiorespiratory arrest. His pulse was initially recovered by health personnel from an ambulance of the Canary Islands Emergency Service (SUC), who transferred him in serious condition to a hospital.

However, just 48 hours later, last Friday, June 19, the British tourist died.

The attack happened on Asomada del Morisco Street, a street parallel to Juan Carlos I Avenue, in the vicinity of an apartment complex.

The man and his wife had come on holiday to the South of the island to celebrate his birthday.

The National Police spoke with witnesses and reviewed security camera footage from that street.

In the afternoon of last Wednesday, the national police of the Citizen Security Brigade and local police collected information from witnesses at the scene to determine the physical appearance and clothing the alleged perpetrator of the crimes was wearing.

Minutes later, they conducted a search of the area, but were unable to locate the man involved. They returned several times to see if they could obtain any information that would help.

After learning of the death, several people have laid flowers in the vicinity of the building where the attack occurred. Messages of remembrance have also been shared in memory of the British tourist.

The case has caused a commotion among residents and visitors of Los Cristianos, one of the busiest tourist areas in the south of the island.

Police have not yet released any details about the three men under suspicion of homicide and violent assault, so their age and nationality are not known, nor is it known where they were arrested.

It is believed the three were in a gang and could have stalked the elderly couple in a bid to rob them.