British tourist in Mallorca airport lost £1700 to elderly 'zimmerframe bandit'

The elderly man, who is said to be in his 70s, used the seat of his walking frame to obscure his theft as he strolled around the airport terminal before escaping

A British holidaymaker was left £1700 poorer before she even left the airport, after falling prey to an elderly thief using a walking frame at the popular Spanish destination of Mallorca.

The man, believed to be in his 70s, reportedly targeted tourists as they arrived at Palma de Mallorca Airport to kick off their holidays, including the unfortunate Brit who was robbed in June. Over two million Brits flock to Mallorca annually, drawn by the Spanish island's promise of sun, sea, and sand.

During the theft, airport security cameras captured a white-haired man wearing a loose shirt and trainers, using the seat of his walking frame to conceal his theft, before making a swift exit, unnoticed due to his seemingly harmless appearance.

Having used his walking aid both to navigate the terminal and hide his stolen goods, the septuagenarian has earned a reputation in the local press, being labelled the "zimmerframe bandit".

However, the alleged serial thief's crime spree was halted a month later, on August 18. The Majorca Daily Bulletin reports that this followed an investigation led by Palma de Mallorca's private security team, who identified the man from CCTV footage.

After spotting similar thefts on the recordings, the airport collaborated with the national Spanish police to track down the suspect, who was subsequently arrested in Palma in relation to the £1700 theft from the British tourist.

Spanish officials have yet to disclose the number of other crimes the elderly thief is suspected of committing at the airport.

August has been a bustling month for arrests at Mallorca's primary travel hub, with 13 individuals apprehended for offences ranging from using counterfeit documents to theft and assault. Inspections are also being carried out on travellers bringing more than €4400 into the holiday hotspot.