Six under investigation in Fuerteventura for staging thefts to collect insurance payouts

Simulated crimes in Fuerteventura

The Civil Guard has uncovered several cases of crime simulation in Fuerteventura that have led to the investigation of six people for reporting incidents that never occurred. The investigations point to a common pattern: obtaining monetary compensation from insurance companies.

According to the Las Palmas Command, the suspects reported alleged violent robberies, thefts, property damage and even vehicle thefts. However, the inquiries carried out by the agents—based on witness statements, security‑camera analysis and mobile‑device tracking—revealed “obvious contradictions” between the narrated events and reality.

One of the most striking episodes involves a man who claimed to have been the victim of a violent robbery in the early hours, insisting that two individuals had taken several belongings, including a high‑end mobile phone. The investigation determined that the device had been lost in a leisure venue and that the complainant filed the false report to benefit from the insurance payout.

In another case, a citizen asserted that his vehicle had been stolen. Surveillance footage, however, showed that the car had been involved in an accident after damaging urban furniture in Morro Jable, and that the complainant himself abandoned the vehicle at the scene.

False reports were also detected in the tourism sector. In one instance, a visitor claimed to have suffered two money thefts from his hotel room. Investigations found no evidence of any crime: there were no signs of forced entry, no missing access cards, and no records supporting his version.

The Civil Guard reminds that such conduct is punishable under Article 456 of the Penal Code, which penalises anyone who “falsely accuses a crime with knowledge of its falsity or reckless disregard for the truth.” Penalties can include fines of six to twelve months and even imprisonment for false testimony, in addition to possible civil liability.