Tenerife Police Arrest Man for Years of Minor Sex Assault

Canarian Police in Santa Cruz de Tenerife have arrested a man who was wanted for repeatedly sexually assaulting a minor over five years.

The man had many previous convictions, including for burglary and violent robbery. He had been hiding and using different methods to avoid being caught, according to a warrant from the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Provincial Court.

Police said their investigation was "difficult and complex" because the man changed cars, homes, and even his appearance while he was in hiding.

Law enforcement last dealt with him after a police chase that started in Tenerife's capital and finished in Punta Prieta, Güímar.

His arrest happened thanks to an off-duty Canarian Police officer. The officer spotted the wanted man entering a well-known supermarket in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and the arrest was made without any problems.

Because he was off-duty, the officer asked the supermarket's private security staff for help to ensure everyone's safety during the intervention.

Later, a unit from the Operational Response Group arrived and took the arrested man to Tenerife II Penitentiary Center, where he began serving his sentence.