How Harry’s Stolen Car Nap Ended in a Tenerife Jail Cell

Von Marlis Zoschke

It was a time when the south of Tenerife could have been described as the Third World. Hardly anyone would have thought of spending their holidays here. From Adeje to Los Gigantes, there was virtually nothing there apart from bananas, tomatoes and a few simple houses.

It seems that even back then, some clever people had realised that this area had the potential to become a tourist destination. There were plenty of bare fields near the Atlantic, and the walls intended to block the wind were just standing there. They had originally been built to protect the banana crops.

It was brilliant for a walk along those rough, overgrown footpaths. Often, wild tomato plants grew alongside the barren paths. If you were lucky, you could pick and eat the small tomatoes – which are really expensive these days – because back then nobody wanted them.

Tenerife’s Hell’s Gorge

However, Adeje offers a unique natural experience: the Barranco del Infierno, or Hell’s Gorge. Back then, though, it was only suitable for experienced walkers and the brave with a head for heights. On one side, the slope dropped steeply; on the other, rocks often jutted out into the path, so you’d be well advised to hold on tight. The paths were narrow.

A young man had made his home in this desolate place. We met him in one of our „restaurants„. He was friendly, and one got the feeling that whenever he saw someone who might be new, he would quickly slip away.

On his next holiday, he turned up accompanied by an elderly lady who had bought a house on Playa de la Arena. We thought Harry – that was the young man’s name – had now been taken on as a caretaker.

The term ‚marriage swindler‘ was out of the question; the age difference was too great for that. Perhaps he was seeking financial support, as he wanted to set up a dental technician’s practice.

Tenerife’s vigilant police

Harry now spoke Spanish quite well, and so his range of responsibilities kept expanding. One day he drove to Santa Cruz and parked the car in accordance with the regulations. However, he forgot to lock the precious vehicle. When he returned, a vagrant was fast asleep inside it. After Harry had shaken him awake, the man refused to get out.

Furious, Harry went to the police. But on this island, which was still rather idyllic in those days, there were observant police officers. A young officer recognised Harry straight away from a wanted poster that had been in circulation for several years. Our Harry was wanted by Interpol. We never found out what he’d done. But Harry now vanished from the scene.

A few years later, he must have served his sentence. Because Harry was back. With his wife, of course.