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Swedish stolen lorry terror driver had spent €20,000 on drink and drugs, say police
23/02/2017
A SWEDE who caused terror in Barcelona after stealing a gas bottle delivery lorry and running amok through the streets had just spent €20,000 on drugs, alcohol and prostitutes, police say.
After his arrest, he told officers he had not planned to steal a vehicle, but decided it was the ideal opportunity to get out of the area when he saw the gas lorry with the keys in the ignition.
Its legal driver had stopped off to deliver butane tanks.
The as-yet unnamed Swedish national had served three years in jail from 2008 for domestic violence in his home country, where he also has a criminal record for drug-dealing, theft and dangerous motoring offences including drink-driving and driving without a licence.
Members of the public thought they were in the midst of a terrorist attack when the lorry, shedding gas bottles onto the road, ploughed through parked cars, tore down the ringroad in the wrong lane and headed straight for pedestrians, until police managed to stop the vehicle by firing shots.
A young Brazilian woman cheated death by seconds in the Plaza de Pau Vila, and thanks to police officers' presence of mind, escaped with minor wounds.
She was walking along with her headphones on and did not notice the lorry heading for her at speed, but the Mossos d'Esquadra grabbed her and flung her from its path.
The girl sustained minor bruising from flying gas bottles.
It transpired that the accused, who may be suffering from psychiatric problems, was extremely drunk and high on drugs after a night's partying, and was carrying 3,000 Swedish Kroner (about €316) in cash on his person, having spent over €20,000 with other friends from Sweden from the previous evening until the early hours of the morning.
He is not linked to any terror organisation and was not deliberately aiming at cars or people, but did not notice them or bother to swerve or stop, police say.
The accused, 32, told officers he 'wanted to go to the sea' and had attempted to hitch-hike and to steal a motorbike, without success.
He had arrived in Barcelona the day before his kamikaze crusade on a flight from Moscow, changing planes in Copenhagen, and checking into a hotel in the central Paral·lel district with a friend who has since gone back to Sweden.
The lorry thief had changed his flight twice to 'enjoy the nightlife' in Barcelona, and has not been back to his hotel since he started partying on Monday night.
He is currently held in the psychiatric ward at the city's Hospital del Mar.
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A SWEDE who caused terror in Barcelona after stealing a gas bottle delivery lorry and running amok through the streets had just spent €20,000 on drugs, alcohol and prostitutes, police say.
After his arrest, he told officers he had not planned to steal a vehicle, but decided it was the ideal opportunity to get out of the area when he saw the gas lorry with the keys in the ignition.
Its legal driver had stopped off to deliver butane tanks.
The as-yet unnamed Swedish national had served three years in jail from 2008 for domestic violence in his home country, where he also has a criminal record for drug-dealing, theft and dangerous motoring offences including drink-driving and driving without a licence.
Members of the public thought they were in the midst of a terrorist attack when the lorry, shedding gas bottles onto the road, ploughed through parked cars, tore down the ringroad in the wrong lane and headed straight for pedestrians, until police managed to stop the vehicle by firing shots.
A young Brazilian woman cheated death by seconds in the Plaza de Pau Vila, and thanks to police officers' presence of mind, escaped with minor wounds.
She was walking along with her headphones on and did not notice the lorry heading for her at speed, but the Mossos d'Esquadra grabbed her and flung her from its path.
The girl sustained minor bruising from flying gas bottles.
It transpired that the accused, who may be suffering from psychiatric problems, was extremely drunk and high on drugs after a night's partying, and was carrying 3,000 Swedish Kroner (about €316) in cash on his person, having spent over €20,000 with other friends from Sweden from the previous evening until the early hours of the morning.
He is not linked to any terror organisation and was not deliberately aiming at cars or people, but did not notice them or bother to swerve or stop, police say.
The accused, 32, told officers he 'wanted to go to the sea' and had attempted to hitch-hike and to steal a motorbike, without success.
He had arrived in Barcelona the day before his kamikaze crusade on a flight from Moscow, changing planes in Copenhagen, and checking into a hotel in the central Paral·lel district with a friend who has since gone back to Sweden.
The lorry thief had changed his flight twice to 'enjoy the nightlife' in Barcelona, and has not been back to his hotel since he started partying on Monday night.
He is currently held in the psychiatric ward at the city's Hospital del Mar.
Related Topics
You may also be interested in ...
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