The SIP-AN union in the Local Police of Rincón de la Victoria demands that the City Council and the Chief of Police clarify the statements made by the chief inspector, which pointed to the staff as possible perpetrators of the theft of four pistols.
The union section of SIP-AN in the Local Police of Rincón de la Victoria has demanded a public "rectification and clarification" from the City Council and the Police Chief regarding the statements made about the disappearance of four service weapons, allegedly stolen from police premises.
The discontent arose after the appearance of Chief Inspector Francisco Javier Casanova before the Corporation, in an extraordinary session convened at the request of the opposition. In that session, the officer stated: "The facts are extremely serious. I am doubly affected, as a citizen, because we do not know where those weapons are, and because, almost with absolute certainty, whoever has taken them is part of my staff."
"The facts are extremely serious. I am doubly affected, as a citizen, because we do not know where those weapons are, and because, almost with absolute certainty, whoever has taken them is part of my staff."
The union argues that these words have generated "suspicions about the members of the Local Police" without any conclusion from the investigation that allows for attributing any responsibility to the officers. Therefore, they demand that "insinuations or value judgments" be avoided while the case remains open, and they request that the public be informed in such a way that a "generalised image of suspicion" about the entire staff is not spread.
SIP-AN reminds that all officers are willing to cooperate with the Guardia Civil, which is conducting the investigation, "for the complete clarification of the facts and the determination of responsibilities that may correspond." They also invoke the right to the presumption of innocence and the need to preserve "the professionalism and honour" of the officials, which they consider to be damaged.
In their statement, the union goes further: "If the identity of the responsible person is known, it must be publicly and unequivocally stated; and if it is not known, statements or insinuations that may unjustifiably extend suspicion over the entire staff should be avoided."
During his intervention, Casanova admitted the possibility that the weapons remain hidden within the Chief's office. He also detailed that the last review of this material was conducted by him, as the sub-inspector who was supposed to do the inventory was on sick leave. Due to this absence, the 2025 review was not carried out, and the last check was in 2024, despite the obligation to conduct it annually.
In that inspection, which must be reported to the Benemérita, it was verified that out of 73 pistols, 12 were unaccounted for. Of these, 7 had not been reviewed due to the temporary absence of their holders, and of the remaining 5 that were supposed to be in storage, only one was found. This discovery led to a report to the Guardia Civil on July 24, and the investigation began with statements and ocular inspections starting from August 3.
With the authorization of the Armed Institute, which requested confidentiality from the government team and the staff, the facts were made public through a municipal statement on August 14. Since then, the investigation remains open and the union hopes that responsibilities will be clarified without calling into question the entire force.
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