Ciudadanos councillor Pilar Gómez Magán has demanded that the new PP government team take action after complaints from residents, restaurateurs and shopkeepers in Torrevieja town centre, following the appearance on the city streets of over a dozen “Gorillas”, individuals who continually pester drivers to clean their windscreens or mind their cars while they are away shopping.
She claims that, although denounced by a number of residents, the Local Police are yet to take any action and now the councillor has” demanded “greater” police presence “in these areas where there is a high footfall of tourists.
I seems that many are now hanging around in reserved parking areas and demanding tips from drivers in exchange for looking after their vehicles and although a practice that has been widespread in other cities for decades, this is the first time that it has become a problem in Torrevieja.
According to the councillor, “more than a dozen gorillas have been counted.” Residents, shopkeepers, hoteliers and their clients have complained about the inconvenience caused, among which they say that they have seen them consuming alcohol on public roads, begging, urinating, committing robberies, selling drugs and brawling until the early hours of the morning.
Cllr Gómez Magán also said that “a few days ago they threatened and tried to attack a woman and the police took about 40 minutes to make an appearance, stating that they would come when a patrol was available.” Another resident added that on Saturday they had sent out minors to practice begging. ”
She has warned that “this situation seriously affects people with reduced mobility, who say that it is practically impossible to walk along the pavement because these people occupy them day and night.”
The Cs spokeswoman has also insisted that “the government team must take measures to curb the increasing number of manteros, looky looky men who sell illegal and counterfeit products on local promenades, which harm the shopkeepers”.
