Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 23 August 2023
by Mike Evans
A very warm welcome to you all as we sit in a very hot period of weather and hope everyone is mindful of the need to keep hydrated and to be especially vigil to the issue of wildfires.
As I am writing this report the Algarve has 10 municipalities at the maximum risk of fires and with the winds we get at this time of year it doesn’t take much to get a small fire to turn into a large blaze.
On our Facebook pages we publish daily the latest information from the IPMA regarding the weather, as well as the fire hazard tables for every region and municipality in the Algarve. If you have not already seen this information I would implore you to take a look.
Let’s take a look at what has been happening across the region in the past week concerning our remit of safety and security.
Man Arrested after Stabbing In Lagoa
A man was arrested on suspicion of having committed two crimes of attempted homicide on Monday night, August 21, in Lagoa , announced the Judiciary Police.
The arrest was made by the Judiciary Police, through the DIC of Portimão , after the alleged aggressor became involved in an argument with the owner of a café.
The woman wanted to close the establishment and refused to serve more drinks to the suspect, who started the discussion, which was interrupted by two customers who were nearby and who ended up being stabbed in the chest area. The suspect, aged 54, fled but was eventually located with the collaboration of the National Republican Guard of Lagoa, and will be present at the first judicial interrogation for the application of coercive measures.
The two victims were admitted to a hospital.
Man Arrested for Burglaries in Albufeira County
A 21-year-old man was arrested on Friday, August 18, for theft from homes in the municipality of Albufeira , announced the National Republican Guard.
The arrest was made by the Faro Territorial Command , through the Territorial Sub-detachment of Albufeira, following a report of a fire in a house. The military, at the scene, verified that there had been a theft of several articles inside two residences through break-in.After the police investigations, the suspect was located in possession of the stolen items, having recovered a mobile phone, a pair of headphones (Airpods), a wallet with documents, a shirt and two wallets.
The detainee was present the day after the Judicial Court of Portimão, with application of the coercion measure of biweekly presentations in his area of residence.
Two Arrested for Car Theft in Aljezur and Vila do Bispo
Two men aged 36 and 49 were arrested on Wednesday, August 16, for theft from a vehicle in the municipalities of Aljezur and Vila do Bispo , announced the National Republican Guard (GNR). The arrest was made by the Territorial Command of Faro, through the Núcleo de Investigação Criminal de Portimão, following a complaint.
The thefts were carried out in car parks, with the suspects detained after police investigations, with an iPad, a speaker, two power banks, two pairs of earphones, two bracelets, two pairs of glasses, two pairs of gloves, two mobile phones and 645 euros in cash. The detainees will be present at the Judicial Court of Lagos for the application of coercive measures during today.
The action had the reinforcement of the soldiers from the Territorial Post of Vila do Bispo.
Man Rescued After Falling on Rocks at Molhe Beach
A 45-year-old man was rescued during the afternoon of Thursday, August 17, after an accidental fall on the rocks at Praia do Molhe, in Ferragudo, in the municipality of Lagoa, announced the National Maritime Authority.
The alert was given at 18:52 by the Lisbon Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre, with elements of the Local Command of the Maritime Police of Portimão, the Lifeguard Station of Ferragudo, the Firefighters Volunteers from Lagoa and INEM.
The victim, of Spanish nationality, had a serious injury to his right leg, in the ankle area, and was transported to a hospital after being rescued from an area of difficult access.The Portimão Maritime Police Local Command took care of the occurrence.
Body of Missing Man From Santa Luzia found in Perogil
The body of Quévin Andre Protseko, who had been missing for a month, was found on Thursday, August 17, in Perogil , in the municipality of Tavira , according to Correio da Manhã. The corpse of the 21-year-old was in a high state of decomposition and was discovered by the Judiciary Police, next to a crane, with marks of a fall of several metres.
The parents of the Computer Engineering student at the University of Algarve have already been notified and there are no signs of crime.During the investigations, around 200 pages were found on Quévin Protseko’s computer, written by himself.
His mobile phone had already been located by the local authorities two weeks ago, and it was discovered that before the disappearance, the young man who lived in Santa Luzia had withdrawn all the money from his bank account.
Pleasure Craft Runs Aground on Ilha Deserta
A pleasure craft with 12 crew ran aground west of the Faro -Olhão bar on the night of Wednesday, August 17th, in a strip of sand on Ilha Deserta , announced the National Maritime Authority.
The alert was given at 02:02 by the Lisbon Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre, with elements from the Faro Maritime Police Local Command and the Olhão Lifeguard Station having been immediately activated.
Eleven crew members were sent ashore to the pier on Ilha da Deserta, where they were rescued by members of the Maritime Police, who verified that they were in good physical condition and did not require medical assistance.The crew were later transported to another pleasure boat, which took them to the Vilamoura marina.
The owner of the damaged vessel was notified to present a removal plan and the Faro Maritime Police Local Command took care of the occurrence.
GNR Detains Man who had a Woman Locked in his House
A 62-year-old man who had kidnapped a woman, after threatening her family, was arrested in the municipality of Loulé , reported the GNR.
In a statement, the GNR explains that the detention took place after a complaint about a woman who was locked in a house, and the military found that “the suspect had already threatened the victim’s family with a firearm and that the victim was kidnapped in the suspect’s residence.
In a house search of the suspect’s house, which culminated in his arrest, a shotgun, two compressed air guns and various ammunition of various calibres were seized.According to the GNR, the detainee is being held at the premises of this security force, waiting to be presented to the Judicial Court of Loulé for the application of coercive measures.
Boat capsizes with 14 tourists on board in Lagoa
A tourist vessel that made the usual trips through the caves on the coast of Lagos, in the Carvoeiro area , capsized on the afternoon of Tuesday, August 15th, with 16 people on board (14 tourists and two crew). There are no injuries to report.
According to the news provided by Correio da Manhã, the incident took place inside a cave between the Farol de Alfanzina and Benagil, in the municipality of Lagoa.
Among the 14 passengers on board were eight tourists of French nationality, six Spanish, including children between two and six years old.The Ferragudo lifeguard station, with the support of another maritime tourist vessel, proceeded to rescue all the passengers, said the same source.
As the commander of the Captaincy of Portimão , Eduardo Pousadas Godinho, described to Correia da Manhã, “the vessel capsized and people stayed inside the cave. The reaction was very fast and allowed us to rescue all the people without injuries”.
Police Crackdown Results in 95 Arrests across the Algarve
95 people were arrested, more than 500 doses of drugs were seized and 735 traffic offences detected over a week in the Algarve by the GNR police. Between the 7th and 13th of August, 44 people were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, 17 for driving without legal authorization and 16 for drug trafficking.
During this period, 297 doses of hashish, 236 doses of heroin, 21 doses of cocaine, three knives, two of them with automatic openings, two mobile phones, an alarm pistol, a defence aerosol, an electric gun and several counterfeit articles of brands were seized of footwear and fashion accessories.
In traffic, 735 infractions were detected: 354 for speeding, 29 related to anomalies in the lighting and signalling systems, 28 for lack of mandatory periodic inspection, 26 for improper use of the mobile phone while driving, 19 for lack or incorrect use of the seat belt and/or child restraint system and 14 for lack of civil liability insurance.
Last week, 230 accidents were recorded, resulting in two deaths, one seriously injured and 48 slightly injured.
Let’s all stay safe whether on the roads, on the beach or just in private pools. Until the next time..