Andorra Police Probe Hostel Sexual Assault Amid Crime Wave Arrests

Police in La Massana are investigating an alleged sexual assault on a woman in her twenties at an Arinsal hostel in the early hours of Monday morning, as authorities continue a heightened weekend surveillance operation amid a wave of recent arrests for violent crimes, thefts, and other offences across Andorra.

The victim sought medical attention around 5am, where examinations confirmed the assault. Support protocols were activated, and officers gathered evidence from her account, the scene, and witnesses. Police arrived promptly at the hostel after hospital notification and pursued leads through the afternoon to identify a suspect. No arrest has been made in this case.

This week, a 42-year-old man was detained in Pas de la Casa on a judicial order for two alleged rapes in 2023: one in June against a woman seeking to end their relationship, and another in October against an underage girl. The October probe, which found drug trafficking materials at his home, uncovered the prior assault. He faces additional charges for offences against physical and moral integrity, as well as gender violence. The arrest occurred on Monday midday.

In a separate incident early Tuesday in Pas de la Casa, police arrested a 37-year-old tourist after traffic services spotted him assaulting his partner in the street. As officers intervened to verify details, he became violent, attempting punches and kicks, while insulting officers and issuing death threats. He faces charges related to offences against public function, honour, and liberty, in addition to the initial assault.

Other recent arrests include a 34-year-old non-resident detained Friday afternoon in central Andorra la Vella for pickpocketing and fraudulent credit card use tied to 2018 wallet thefts exceeding €600, linked to four others; a citizen had alerted police after seeing him target a woman's backpack. He received a 10-month sentence, commutable to seven years' expulsion.

Over the weekend, police held a 51-year-old man in Escaldes-Engordany for assaulting his adult son at their family home; officers located him shortly after in Sant Julià de Lòria. A 27-year-old tourist was arrested outside an Andorra la Vella nightclub for attacking another man, inflicting two deep eye wounds requiring hospital treatment; he resisted arrest with added insults and threats. A 29-year-old woman was detained early Sunday after running two red lights on an electric scooter in Andorra la Vella, with 0.43 grams of MDMA found; she refused a toxics test and faces charges against public safety.

Drink-driving cases included a 29-year-old man at 1.33g/l early Saturday in Arinsal, and an 18-year-old at 1.49g/l after crashing into two parked vehicles there. Four more drivers aged 26-45 tested positive at 0.93-1.01g/l in recent days.

Police have maintained reinforced patrols over the weekend to prevent such incidents.