Guardia Civil dismantles supermarket theft organisation in Spain: €100k in stolen items

More than €100,000 of counterfeit goods, 10,000 stolen items, and a complex organisation of thieves: the Guardia Civil has dismantled an organisation that has been systematically robbing supermarkets across Spain and reselling the products on the retail market.

The Guardia Civil uncovers sophisticated supermarket theft network

The investigation, dubbed “Operation Klopes” by the Spanish authorities, has led to the recovery of thousands of stolen items, including cosmetics, sunscreens, razors, deodorants, and bottles of alcoholic beverages. The items seized by the Guardia Civil have a total value exceeding €102,000.

According to the Guardia Civil, the organisation operated with two groups: one dedicated to stealing products from local supermarkets, and another responsible for receiving, purchasing, and distributing the stolen goods. This second group would re-introduce the counterfeit items into the market, through various retail stores.

The criminals were also choosy with the products they stole: the items were non-perishable, always small in size, and had a high resale value. This is because this type of product can be transported easily, will not spoil, and allows for a quick sale if it manages to re-enter uncontrolled sales channels.

Stolen goods hidden from anti-theft systems

Two searches were carried out, resulting in the discovery of the bulk of the stolen merchandise. Handbags used by the criminals had been modified on the inside to resemble Faraday cages, a type of enclosure that is able to block some electromagnetic fields. Investigators speculate that these were used to avoid anti-theft alarms going off when the items were taken out of stores.

The criminals also possessed electromagnets and other tools for removing security devices from products, which were then confiscated. 

Criminal network linked to 19 thefts and 35 alleged additional crimes

The sophisticated organisation has carried out 19 thefts that authorities know of, committed in various areas and regions across Spain, including Murcia, Bizkaia, Madrid, Valladolid, Guadalajara, and Burgos. An additional 35 alleged crimes having taken place in Madrid, Burgos, and Alava are being investigated.

The Civil Guard also carried out four inspections: three at drugstores/perfumeries and a fourth at a cosmetics distribution warehouse. During these inspections, items identical to those stolen were found being sold on “sale”, at significantly lower prices. When the store staff was asked for documentation regarding the acquisition of the products, they were allegedly unable to provide it.

Two arrested and four additional arrest warrants in place

So far, the operation, which was led by the Bizkaia Provincial Police’s Organised Crime Unit, has resulted in the arrests of two individuals and the investigation of five others, with four additional arrest warrants in force. The police unit originally detected the criminal activity of several groups travelling from the Madrid region to Bizkaia in order to commit the thefts.

In a single day, the officials confirmed five separate thefts from establishments in Bizkaia. These allowed investigators to identify a pattern and link the incidents to robberies in different parts of the country, leading to the uncovery of the widespread criminal network.