AND HERE IS THE NEWS…
….a quick glance at the latest local news with Caroline Manson
Pedestrian killed by hit and run driver
A resident of Le Boulou died at 2am last Thursday morning after being hit by a car between Le Perthus and La Jonquère. The forty year old man was walking along the National 11 when he was hit. The car drove off and continued in the direction of France but when he saw the French border officials, he parked and ran off on foot. He was very quickly arrested and was found to be heavily under the influence of alcohol.
Three teenagers arrested for arson
On July 10th, firefighters were called to a fire in a pine forest in Sorède, just 80 metres from private houses. One hectare was destroyed before they were able to control the fire. Investigations proved that the fire was started deliberately, and following house to house visits, three 15 year olds were taken into custody – initially having denied the facts but later admitting that they had started the fire with a lighter.
Sniffer dog discovers drugs hidden in washing powder
During a routine check on a lorry at the Le Boulou péage, a sniffer dog became very interested in the cargo of washing powder. The truck from Spain was carrying 33 pallets of washing powder but hidden among this was 298 kg of cannabis resin and 289 kg of cannabis grass. The driver, an Italian, faced court this week and was sentenced to 4 years in prison and a customs fine of more than one million euros.
Son shoots father dead in Salses-le-Chateau
On Sunday evening, a row degenerated between a father and son in the isolated hamlet of Garrieux, 2 kilometres from Salses-Le-Chateau. The son seized a shotgun and fired at close range, killing his father. The 23 year old suspect did not attempt to flee and was immediately arrested by gendarmes who had been called by other family members. The victim and his son were both known to the police and had a history of violence.
Mon Doudou hospital opens in Perpignan Hospital Centre
This is the 10th Mon Doudou hospital installed by the PharmaVie association in France, catering for children. The idea is to make the whole process less scary for small patients by creating a mini-hospital in the heart of the hospital, offering colourful playground areas and a personalised reception area. Each patient is also given a ‘Toudou’ plush toy to accompany them during their stay.
15 year old caught driving lorry full of smuggled cigarettes
Police carrying out routine checks on the RN116 between Prades and Perpignan attempted to flag down a truck. The driver refused to comply and sped off down the RN116, endangering other motorists. The lorry eventually skidded out of control and the driver then fled on foot. He was very quickly caught and arrested, and the police discovered that the driver was just a 15 year old boy. Naturally they searched the truck and discovered 6 bin bags with 300 cartons of contraband cigarettes inside – with a total market value of 30,000€. The youth is to face juvenile court in Perpignan.
And finally…
A cashier at the check out of a DIY store in the Polygone Nord centre had a nasty surprise last Tuesday when she asked a customer at the cash desk if she could check his bag. The 50 year old man had been holding the bag in front of him but had somehow carefully set the scene so that when he lowered the bag he flashed his family jewels in front of her! The young woman alerted security who caught up with the man in the car park and called the police. Apparently he did exactly the same thing to the same cashier on June 20th but the poor woman was so shocked she didn’t manage to react in time.
