By: Caroline Cunha
A PLEASANT visit to Loulé market ended disastrously for a Scottish tourist last weekend.
The 53-year-old man, who police have not named, was approached at the market by “a well dressed, well spoken individual” who offered him the chance to buy reduced priced cigarettes.
Although hesitating initially, the tourist was convinced that he would be getting a good deal and agreed to accompany the seller to a car parked in a street close to the market. When he arrived at the parked car another man was waiting for them.
Under the pretext that it was necessary to travel to a nearby warehouse to collect the reduced price cigarettes, the pair convinced the man to get into the car with them.
According to the police report, based on the testimony of the victim, the car was driven on the EN270 close to the Cimpor cement factory, an area known among locals to be popular with drug dealers, the tourist, however, was unaware of this fact when he agreed to accompany the men to the warehouse.
Isolation
A police source said: “The pair took advantage of the isolated location of the warehouse, beat up the tourist and stole all the money he was carrying, which only amounted to 70 pounds sterling and 100 euros. They later abandoned him at the side of the road.”
Although bleeding, having suffered several wounds in the attack, the man managed to raise the alarm and ask for help from local residents not far from the scene, who then alerted the authorities.
The tourist was transported by ambulance to Loulé centro de saúde where he received treatment for his injuries.
Loulé GNR is investigating the incident.
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