Spanish Smash And Grab Gang Arrested

A gang of robbers who used violent smash-and-grab methods have been arrested after committing crimes throughout Spain.

On Wednesday, July 26, a report from the Guardia Civil gave details on the arrest of an active group of burglars, charged with around twenty offences committed in commercial establishments located in Madrid, Ciudad Real, Zaragoza and Salamanca

‘Operation Cerbero Vegas,’ carried out by the Guardia Civil, has dismantled a criminal group specialising in burglaries accused of committing around twenty criminal acts over the last two months.

Investigators were alerted in May, owing to a significant increase in the theft of luxury vehicles of the same make and model, and their use in different robberies of outlets that specialised in the sale of electronic and computer equipment, as well as in tobacconists’ shops.

One member of the gang was recognised which quickly led to the identification of the other two members of the group. They were originally from the Villaverde neighbourhood in Madrid, well-known for their extensive criminal record and a major part of Madrid’s criminal fraternity.

Smash And Grab Method

The thefts were carried out at night. Prior to the robberies, the gang would steal several luxury vehicles which they would then use, in order to carry out the surveillance of the establishments before committing the robberies

To gain access to the retail establishments, they forced the metal gates and broke the glass of doors and windows using large sledgehammers. Then, in a matter of seconds, they would fill large bags with the stolen material and quickly flee the scene.

Some twenty robberies have been attributed to the gang, who targeted retailers of electronic and computer equipment, as well as tobacconists located mainly in commercial areas in the provinces of Madrid, Ciudad Real, Zaragoza and Salamanca

Guardia Civil Arrest Three Suspects

They were arrested last Monday, and, with the corresponding judicial authorisation, three searches were carried out at their homes in Ciempozuelos, Madrid; Cedillo del Condado and Lominchar, Toledo. Officers seized €8,000 in cash, vehicle theft kits, tools used for committing the crimes and numerous cigarette packets from the offences.

The detainees are three Spanish men, aged between 29 and 42, who have more than a hundred arrests to their name and who are charged with belonging to a criminal group, robbery with force in commercial establishments, theft of motor vehicles and forgery of documents. After being placed at the disposal of the competent judicial authority, they were sent to prison.

The operation was carried out by the Organised Crime Group of the Judicial Police Unit of the Guardia Civil Command in Madrid.