Alex Trelinski
A THIEF was seriously injured after his getaway car went into a canal at San Miguel de Salinas in Alicante province.
The man was taken to Torrevieja Hospital and a fire crew checked that nobody else was inside the vehicle.
The drama unfolded at around 4am on Thursday after he stole a cigarette vending machine from a service station.
A high-speed chase ensued as the San Miguel Policia Local pursed him along the Campoamor service road- parallel to the canal.
The narrow service route is prohibited to general traffic but is still used by many people used as a short cut between San Miguel and the Orihuela Costa.
On a sharp bend, the fleeing criminal lost control and his car went into the canal.
The Policia Local managed to rescue and then arrest the driver.
Firefighters confirmed nobody else was in the car and a local contractor was called in to winch the vehicle out of the canal.
The Guardia Civil investigation into the service station robbery is continuing to see if anybody else was involved.
The cigarette vending machine was recovered.
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