Key Takeaways

What: Armed robbery of gaming arcade in Centro Comercial Ronda
When: 20 February 2026, approx. 10:30 AM
Where: Avenida de Tirajana, San Fernando de Maspalomas
Attackers: 3 masked men armed with large knives
Haul: estimated €84,000–€100,000
Getaway: stolen Opel Meriva, abandoned near GC-1
Status: perpetrators remain at large

The Robbery

On Friday 20 February 2026, at approximately 10:30 in the morning, three hooded men stormed a gaming arcade inside the Centro Comercial Ronda on the Avenida de Tirajana in San Fernando de Maspalomas. The attackers wore balaclavas and hoods and were armed with large knives — one of which, according to witnesses, resembled a bread knife in length.

They went straight to the cash area, threatened the employees and took several cash boxes and briefcases containing the day's takings. The haul is estimated at between €84,000 and €100,000.

Investigators believe the perpetrators were familiar with the internal workings of the business. They headed directly to the point where the money was stored and were back outside within minutes.

The Getaway

The three men arrived in an Opel Meriva that had been reported stolen. After the robbery they drove towards the GC-1 motorway. The vehicle was found abandoned shortly afterwards near the motorway access road. Police believe the robbers switched to a second vehicle there and continued their escape — whether heading north towards Las Palmas or further south remains unclear.

Despite an immediate large-scale operation involving multiple National Police units, there has been no trace of the robbers.

The Investigation

The shopping centre has a modern CCTV system. Police are analysing footage from inside the arcade, the entrances and exits of the Centro Comercial Ronda, and the municipal traffic surveillance cameras along the Avenida de Tirajana and the access roads to the GC-1.

Investigators hope that combining this footage will allow them to identify the registration plate of the second getaway vehicle and determine the direction of escape.

Not an Isolated Incident

The robbery is part of a pattern of security incidents in the tourist south of Gran Canaria. Shop owners and residents in the Avenida de Tirajana area have reported growing insecurity for years. Many of the old shopping centres in Playa del Inglés and Maspalomas stand empty or semi-abandoned — they are known as meeting points for drug dealing and other illegal activity.

The Centro Comercial Ronda is not among the abandoned centres, but the incident shows that even active commercial sites in the south are affected. For the tourism municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, this is an image problem — and for the employees who were threatened with knives on the morning of 20 February, it is much more than that.

Sources: Policía Nacional, Infos Gran Canaria, Maspalomas24h, El Sur Digital Gran Canaria, GranCanariaTV.