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Raquel Merino
Malaga
Sunday, 8 September 2024, 12:42
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The Spanish police investigation began in October 2023 after officers detected a notable increase in the theft of high-end SUVs (sports utility vehicles) stolen from both the streets and residential development car parks and garages, and even from some private homes. Almost a year later the National Police have managed to dismantle the organisation that was allegedly behind these thefts. The operation has resulted in the arrest of six people in Spain, to whom a total of 46 vehicle thefts have been attributed, 13 of which have been recovered, as reported by the force in a statement. In addition, six searches were carried out in the Malaga municipalities of Marbella and Ojén, La Zubia (Granada), Madrid and Carmona (Seville).
The members of the criminal organisation, mainly made up of Bulgarian nationals, allegedly stole SUVs to supply vehicles to drug-trafficking groups on the Costa del Sol, Cadiz, Huelva and Seville. They located models that met the specifications required by the clients, monitored them and installed geolocation (tracking) devices so that they could go directly to collect the vehicle when requested. Most of the members of the network were already known to police investigating this case, having been arrested previously for other cases.
The main area of operation was the Costa del Sol, which is why most of the thefts were carried out in Malaga province, although thefts were also committed in Madrid, as reported by police.
The investigating officers located a country house that allegedly belonged to the organisation where the vehicles were hidden and where they underwent any final tweaks and changes to the requested specifications. In addition, the network used properties that were changed frequently to avoid detection and safe houses like the one located in La Zubia (Granada) where numerous items for committing the thefts and documentation of false identities were found.
Officers estimate that the damage caused by the gang amounts to 3,346,000 euros, taking into account the value of the stolen vehicles which were worth between 70,000 and 100,000 euros apiece. The police added that, taking into account previous police operations in which the thefts of a total of 146 vehicles were cleared up, the total tally for the damage caused by this organisation would reach some 9,820,000 euros.
The members of the criminal organisation under investigation are charged with crimes of being part of a criminal organisation, theft of vehicles and possession of narcotic substances, as well as crimes of forgery of documents by falsifying identification elements - number plates and also chassis numbers in some cases - and for two forgeries of Bulgarian identity documents.
In addition to the vehicles recovered, officers seized numerous mobile phones, computers, computing and electronic equipment used for deactivating vehicle alarm systems, opening and starting up the SUVs and reprogramming and coding vehicle control units. They also seized the equipment used to make new keys for these vehicles, a multitude of blank keys coded or ready for coding and tools for breaking into vehicles. Frequency detectors and inhibitors, devices for the geolocation of vehicles to be stolen, money, number plates and false identity documents were also recovered, as well as a police-type blue light beacon.
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