An arsenal of weapons and police uniforms: a gang is rounded up as it was about to carry out another heist in Marbella

The gang specialised in carrying out violent burglaries in occupied homes, and did so by pretending that its members were law enforcement officers

17/07/2026 a las 08:22h.

The van was already on the move and the target had been identified. However, the criminal network’s plans were thwarted by the National Police, ... who were already hot on their trail on the Costa del Sol. According to the Provincial Police Headquarters, this was a violent gang of burglars specialising in violent break-ins at occupied homes, for which they would often pose as law enforcement officers.

The vehicle was intercepted on a public road, which prevented the planned robbery. Inside, the suspects were travelling with a veritable arsenal and police uniform equipment: five handguns fitted with tactical silencers, a large quantity of ammunition, bulletproof vests, caps, handcuffs and flashing lights. They were prepared to pose as law enforcement officers and, once inside the property, presumably hold the occupants at gunpoint.

This arrest brings to an end the activities of a gang accused of five robberies in Marbella and Alicante, with a total haul of around 400,000 euros. Tracking them down required a complex and discreet surveillance operation.

The members of the network were well-known figures in the world of itinerant crime. However, investigators from the National Police managed to close in on them when they discovered that all the members had regrouped in Marbella to prepare for their imminent raid.

When they were caught unawares in the van, the officers noted the high level of technology and logistical sophistication they were employing. As well as guns and police uniforms, the criminals were carrying GPS trackers to monitor their victims’ movements; frequency jammers to disable alarms and communications; counterfeit number plates; and cable ties to restrain the occupants.

Following the arrests, investigators authorised four searches of properties in Marbella and Fuengirola. There, six high-end vehicles and further equipment used to cover up their operations were seized.

The National Police’s investigation began in December last year, following two violent burglaries at homes in Alicante carried out using the same modus operandi. It did not take long for the investigation to link the alleged perpetrators to two other robberies committed months earlier on the Costa del Sol. The gang had established a significant logistical infrastructure there to support their operations along the Malaga coast.

Those arrested are charged with robbery with violence in an occupied dwelling, unlawful possession of weapons, forgery, causing bodily harm, offences against privacy, impersonating a public official and membership of a criminal organisation. The operation remains ongoing at an international level, and the police have already issued two European Arrest Warrants (EAWs) to locate and arrest two further members of the group.