AND HERE IS THE NEWS…
….a quick glance at the latest local news with Caroline Manson
Two robberies in 24 hours
A man armed with a knife walked into a tabac in Toulouges and asked the employee to hand over the contents of the cash register. Luckily, as it was around 7am and the shop had only just opened, there was no money in the till so the man had to leave empty-handed. At the end of the same day an armed man walked into a grocery store at closing time and demanded the contents of the till – luckily just 40€. Despite the coincidence, the police say they are searching for two separate men.
Murder in Estagel
A 78 year old woman was found stabbed to death in her home last Thursday. Her son, worried that he had not had news from his mother for some time, went to the house and made the shocking discovery. According to early information there was no sign of a break-in but police have opened a murder investigation. Residents are completely shocked as the lady was well known in the village, having also worked at the school canteen.
Man accused of sexual assault
An 18 year old apprentice mechanic was sexually assaulted by his boss at a garage in Perpignan. The 30 year old man started by demanding sexual favours, before using violence and sexually assaulting him. Luckily the young apprentice had the presence of mind to discreetly press the ‘record’ button on his mobile phone, and took this evidence to the police. The boss has been charged and will face court early next year.
CBD cannabis crop in the Pyrénées-Orientales
It is not unusual to read stories of illegal cannabis plants being grown in the region but on this occasion, the crop is in the heart of the Jardins Saint-Jacques in Perpignan, and it is with the full approval of the authorities. While indistinguishable (to the naked eye) from regular cannabis plants, these are in fact destined to produce cannabidiol (CBD) which has therapeutic effects for many illnesses. The plants grow very quickly in the Mediterranean sunshine and the first consignment of CBD oil has just been released from the distillery located in Los Masos.
Stand off after marital dispute
Late on Monday evening, police were called to Ille-sur-Tet where a man had locked himself in his garage and was shouting that he had weapons and would attack anyone who tried to intervene. Police called in negotiators to help with the situation, and the individual’s wife and their two children, aged 6 and 9, were taken to a place of safety. At 3.30am the 30 year old man was finally arrested, and admitted that he didn’t have any weapons and that everything had escalated following a marital dispute. He was placed in police custody.
And finally…
Four seasonal workers decided to decorate the living room in their rental property, and as they worked around the ski-slopes, they settled on a ‘mountain’ theme. Unfortunately, rather than using pine cones and fake snow, they had the bright idea of stealing a chair-lift from the ski-slope at Puigmal. They managed to dismantle one and place it in their pick-up truck, but were soon intercepted by the gendarmes on the RN116 at Col de la Perche. The men were ordered to bring back the chair-lift and reinstall it and were later summoned to attend court.
