Malaga security guard at betting shop holds manager hostage and demands 50,000 euros

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The suspect was demanding money for an alleged debt the company had incurred with some clients due to a computer glitch

María José Díaz Alcalá

Thursday, 23 April 2026, 14:49

The National Police in Malaga have arrested a 39-year-old security guard and his 23-year-old accomplice at the Vialia shopping centre for allegedly holding the manager of a betting shop hostage.

The guard was demanding 50,000 euros from the manager, claiming it was related to a debt the company had incurred with some clients following a computer glitch, in which the guard had acted as an intermediary.

A few weeks ago, a glitch in a betting shop's system caused prizes to be paid out twice. The establishment's security guard, upon realising this, allegedly began telling some friends to come and place bets. Apparently, at some point, the company realised what was happening and decided to stop paying out those prizes.

The security guard then posed as a mediator to try to resolve the dispute. According to sources close to the investigation, the employee told company officials that he was demanding the return of the extra money that some customers had taken, which, he claimed, was causing him problems, and that they should give the money to those who had not collected it, claiming that they were "dangerous people".

Over a few days, the main suspect and another young man intensified their pressure on the company's management (through messages, audio recordings and even surveillance) to settle the alleged debt with a payment of 50,000 euros. Eventually, they arranged to meet to negotiate and held one of the managers hostage.

They didn't tie him up or force him into a car, but they intimidated him by telling him they knew where he lived and who his family were. They took him to a restaurant in the Vialia shopping centre.

The manager was able to alert his superiors, who in turn notified the National Police. Within minutes, the police mobilised the violent crime unit and started monitoring the phone exchange between the suspects and the company director, who were negotiating the amoung of money. The perpetrators didn't know that the police were tracking the onversation.

Just 90 minutes later, the police entered the shopping centre restaurant and detained the suspects. The court has already released both with restraining orders in relation to the victim.

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