Some of the items seized in the police operation. CNP

Fourteen arrested for allegedly being part of a gang that stole motorbikes to order

Those detained have also been linked to thefts in Malaga, Torremolinos and Marbella, including one in an ice cream parlour, another in a baby accessories shop and another in a motorcycle dealership

Raquel Merino

Malaga

Friday, 26 May 2023, 17:29

A gang of motorbike thieves that would load stolen vehicles into a van within minutes from streets in Malaga has been dismantled by police.

Fourteen people were arrested for their alleged links to the network, which stole the motorbikes to order and then altered them with stolen parts.

After National Police received the first reports of motorcycle thefts, investigations then led officers to confirm that a perfectly organised group, working to order, was responsible, the force said.

According to officers, the gang members were looking for motorbikes of the same make and model that had previously been ordered and, once stolen, they changed the parts in workshops.

Police raided seven homes in Malaga city, Pizarra and Alhaurín de la Torre, as well as three workshops in Malaga city. Officers seized four vehicles, a motorbike, two jet skis, a quad, a trailer, numerous stolen motorbike parts, 2,500 euros in cash, 300g of marijuana, 150g of hashish and 6g of cocaine.

Police determined up to 25 criminal offences had been committed, including several robberies in commercial establishments in Malaga, Torremolinos and Marbella, including one in an ice cream parlour, another in a baby accessories shop and another in a motorbike dealership. The case will be heard in the Magistrates Court in Malaga.