The Five Highlighted News Stories of Saturday, April 12 in Alicante

As Saturday, April 12 comes to a close, TodoAlicante has compiled the five standout news stories of the day to provide our readers with a quick summary of the day's events.

Alicante removes the street named after Father Ángel Escapa following acknowledgment of sexual abuse of Agustinos students

The news that emerged this Saturday concerning Father Ángel Escapa, an Augustinian from Alicante, has shocked the city. The religious institution has acknowledged sexual abuse by the former director of the centre towards students in the late 1970s.

In response to the social alarm generated, the Alicante City Council has decided to remove the name from the street named after Father Ángel Escapa. The avenue is located in the La Albufereta area, and following the acknowledgment of the facts by the religious community, the municipal government team made this decision, communicated this Saturday at 2 PM. Read the news here.

A robbery in Benidorm uncovers a Romanian gang based in the country and specialised in 'affectionate hugs'

A report of a violent robbery in Benidorm has ended up uncovering a complex criminal organisation from Romania based in Spain, specialising in robberies using the 'affectionate hugs' technique. The gang operated in several provinces, including Alicante, on a recurring basis, according to police sources.

In total, the National Police have arrested 21 people in a joint operation with the Romanian police coordinated by Europol. Although the criminal organisation was based in Madrid, they operated throughout the country using criminal campaigns in which safe houses were selected as operation centres, and from there, the clan leaders distributed criminal teams and vehicles to commit violent robberies near bank branches and thefts in tourist areas. Read the news here.

The port of Alicante prepares to welcome over 15,000 cruise passengers during Easter

The high cruise season at the port of Alicante has kicked off with a bang. A record-breaking 2025 is expected to surpass the figures of 2024, which saw over 235,000 passengers and 100 cruise calls, all with an impact of 60 million euros.

April comes in strong, with 14 calls, half of them during Easter. According to the Port Authority's forecasts, seven ships will dock at the port of Alicante between April 12 and 20, the peak period of the festivity. Read the full news here.

A criminal organisation dedicated to stealing rear cameras from cars in Alicante falls, selling them in Algeria and France

The National Police have dismantled a criminal organisation dedicated to stealing rear parking assistance cameras from cars throughout the city of Alicante. The gang specialised in stealing these components from a specific car brand to later sell the parts in France and Algeria, where there is a shortage of these cameras. These components are also easy to steal and have a high market value.

In total, four people have been arrested, aged between 34 and 44, who are attributed with the alleged commission of up to 45 crimes related to the theft of car parts, mainly the rear camera, although there are cases where they also took headlights and mirror embellishments, according to police sources. Read the full news here.

The Generalitat works to bring four major projects to the Digital District of the port of Alicante

The Consell's commitment to boosting the technology and innovation sector in Alicante is clear, and to this end, it aims to breathe more life into the Digital District. A couple of years ago, this new headquarters opened at dock 5 and currently hosts six companies. The latest to join is the Ellis Foundation, which works in the field of artificial intelligence.

Indeed, the Ministry of Innovation has revealed that they are working on four projects to be incorporated into this talent attraction hub. This was confirmed by the Minister Marián Cano during the Technology and Innovation Forum of TodoAlicante held this Friday as part of the 'Alicante Somos +' project, precisely in the Digital District of the port of Alicante. Read the news here.