Man ‘tries to snatch toddler from a beach after kissing her on the cheek’ in front of screaming mother on Ibiza beach before cops make arrest

Police have arrested a man who tried to snatch a toddler on a beach in Ibiza.

The Moroccan national tried to take her twice after kissing her on the cheek and ended up being held by an off-duty cop who heard the two-year-old girl’s mum screaming.

Detectives said the attempted kidnapping took place on Wednesday last week at Talamanca beach in the resort of Talamanca near to the capital Ibiza Town.

They have not yet revealed the nationality of the mum and her little girl, but said the suspect put up resistance before his arrest.

A spokesman for the National Police in the Balearic Islands said: ‘Officers have arrested a Moroccan man as the suspected author of a crime of unlawful detention, sexual assault, resisting arrest and disobedience after he tried to take a two-year-old girl on a beach in Ibiza who he kissed on the face.

Saying the incident occurred last Wednesday at 12.30pm, he added: ‘The man, without apparent motive, grabbed hold of the girl and started kissing her on the cheek and stopping her from escaping.

‘At that moment the girl’s mum grabbed hold of her daughter and freed her from the man’s grip.

Police have arrested a man who tried to snatch a toddler on a beach in Ibiza (file picture of unnamed beach in Ibiza)

‘She went to another spot on the beach which was a fair distance from where they had been sitting and the man came up to them and grabbed hold of the girl again and went into the sea with her.

‘The youngster’s mum started yelling because the man was ignoring her and wouldn’t let go of her daughter.

‘At that point an off-duty police officer who was on the beach and heard the mum’s screams came to help and managed to reunite the mum with her daughter.

‘He ordered the man to move away several times but the man adopted a violent attitude and threw himself on the off-duty police officer who had to retain him until more police help arrived.

‘The suspect was arrested for alleged unlawful detention of a minor as well as for crimes of sexual assault, resistance and disobedience.’

It was not immediately clear today if he has already appeared before a judge and been bailed or remanded in custody.

Talamanca is a long, curved beach with soft sand and shallow waters, making it excellent for safe bathing.

The beach is popular with tourists from all parts of the world as well as locals.

It is backed by hotels including four and five-star establishments with plenty of self-catering villas nearby.

One well-known online travel website named it this year as one of the seven best beaches to visit in Ibiza.