Five people arrested in Malaga and Valencia provinces in connection with robberies at several premises

The investigation began in late April, when the first robbery took place at an arcade in Benimàmet (Valencia). The victim, who worked at the premises, reported that a man had entered the arcade wearing a full-face motorbike helmet and gloves. Behaving aggressively and brandishing a knife, he demanded money from her.

Fearing for her safety, she handed over 25 euros from the till. The perpetrator left immediately and fled on a motorbike. The police later discovered that the motorbike had been reported stolen in the city of Valencia.

A few days later, in early May, another robbery took place in Burjassot (Valencia). On this occasion, the alleged perpetrator entered through the back door of a fast-food restaurant, threatening the staff with a large knife to force them to open the safe.

After several unsuccessful attempts to achieve his aim, the perpetrator grabbed one of the female workers by the arm and held a knife to her throat to facilitate his escape. Another man picked him up with a motorbike.

The police investigation established that the vehicle in question had also been stolen. They subsequently located it in the municipality of San Antonio de Benagéber (Valencia).

Five days later, another robbery took place at a jewellery shop in Burjassot, when a "well-presenting" man rang the shop's doorbell and the owner opened. The suspect immediately tackled him from behind and told him he was carrying a knife, leading to a fierce struggle between the two.

At one point, the perpetrator took a large knife out of a rucksack and lunged at the jeweller, attempting to stab him in the neck. The victim sustained injuries that required medical attention.

The police also discovered that the robber had been wearing a wig, glasses and false fingers, all with the aim of making it more difficult to identify him.

He also fled on a motorbike, which had been stolen the day before.

The latest robbery took place at around 8pm on 19 May, at another jewellery shop in Valencia, when the same man entered, once again wearing a wig and similar clothing, and asked the jeweller about wedding rings.

Unexpectedly, he pulled a large knife out of a bag and demanded that he open the safe, threatening to kill him if he refused. Seconds later, a second perpetrator entered the premises, wearing a full-face motorbike helmet and gloves. He was carrying a large bag in which they put everything they could take, before fleeing on another motorbike that had been stolen a few days earlier.

The investigation led the police to a house in Bétera, where they recovered the motorbike from the most recent robbery, along with the safe and various high-end watches.

The investigation revealed that the watches were being prepared for sale on the black market, which led to the identification and arrest of the dealers responsible for this activity.

According to the investigation, the main perpetrator, who was threatening his victims with a knife, was planning to carry out another robbery in Malaga. To do this, he had stolen a motorbike in the town of Torremolinos.

In light of the events, the National Police set up an operation, thanks to which they located the suspect and arrested him, along with another member of the same group.

The police have arrested a total of five men for robberies involving violence and intimidation. According to records, they had numerous previous convictions for similar offences.

The police managed to recover the six stolen motorbikes, which were returned to their rightful owners.

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