The Guàrdia Urbana in Barcelona arrested a 23-year-old multi-recidivist thief on Tuesday, 21 April, after he allegedly attempted to steal a €45,000 watch and then fled into the city's metro tunnels. The incident, which began on Passeig de Gràcia, led to a temporary interruption of metro service on Line 3 as officers pursued the man through the underground system. According to the Guàrdia Urbana, plainclothes officers from the Eixample district first observed the man acting suspiciously around Plaça de Catalunya at 4:30pm, openly scrutinising watches worn by passers-by. They discreetly followed him as he continued along Passeig de Gràcia. Shortly after 5pm, the thief reportedly targeted a man looking into a shop window on Passeig de Gràcia, attempting to violently snatch his €45,000 watch. A security guard from the establishment intervened when he saw the victim resisting, causing the thief to flee the scene. Guàrdia Urbana officers pursued the man into Diagonal metro station. To evade arrest, the individual jumped onto the tracks of Line 3, heading towards Trinitat Nova. This action forced Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) to halt metro services on the line to prevent an accident. ## Metro Chase Ends in Arrest As the thief escaped through the tunnel, officers requested support from other patrols in the area, informing them of his direction. Another pair of Guàrdia Urbana officers from the Gràcia district positioned themselves on the platform at Fontana metro station, the next stop after Diagonal. When the man emerged from the tunnel at Fontana, he was apprehended by police. He faces charges for alleged violent robbery. Officers also discovered €1,600 in cash on the individual, believed to be proceeds from other crimes. The 23-year-old, who has multiple prior police records, was taken to the police station and is awaiting judicial disposition before a duty judge.