Malaga bank thieves dismantled: Suspect with 18 identities among gang arrested after €200,000 spree

Officers from the National Police have dismantled two mobile criminal cells allegedly dedicated to stealing from banks and individuals throughout Spain. Four people have been arrested in Madrid, where they were based. They used disguises and tools that allowed them to blend in while pinpointing a target, following the chosen victims or when committing the actual crime. Sometimes they used a kit consisting of a window-breaking tool and metal tacks to puncture vehicle tyres, as well as earpieces and more to stay in touch and coordinate their actions. The arrested individuals are charged with six counts of robbery and theft, two apiece committed in Madrid and Malaga and one each in Seville and Valencia, from which they are believed to have obtained approximately 200,000 euros.

The investigation began last January following two robberies at bank branches in the provinces of Seville and Malaga, where the perpetrators made off with over 100,000 euros. In the first, they seized a cash register drawer and the second involved stealing a large sum of money from an employee's desk as he stepped outside the branch to assist someone at the ATM with a supposedly 'stuck' credit card.

After various inquiries, the investigating officers discovered that these crimes were being committed by a travelling criminal gang with its operational base in Madrid. From there, the criminals defined their areas of operation, assigned tasks and stored their equipment, travelling primarily by public transport. To commit the crimes, they travelled to other regions of Spain, knowing that the distance would make it more difficult for subsquent identification by police. They also used cars for these longer journeys.

The modus operandi consisted of using distraction techniques with all kinds of accessories to hinder identification, such as headgear or glasses. They even impersonated elderly or disabled individuals, using a walking-stick to lend more credibility. On some occasions, to deceive the victims, they punctured vehicle tyres or smashed windows to keep them distracted while stealing from them.

Coordination and communications were tightly maintained by the gang while on the job. They used headsets, earpieces and microphones to keep in contact.

After months of investigation, officers managed to identify the members of this network and set up a police operation, arresting the four most active members in two separate strikes. One was apprehended while attempting to leave Spain from Madrid-Barajas Airport and the rest were rounded up while holding a briefing out in the open in the heart of Madrid to plan their next robberies.

All of them have been brought before the judicial authorities as suspects of the crime of belonging to a criminal gang and six counts of robbery and theft, with two remanded in custody. Investigators discovered that one of them had 18 different identities.

To date, the total illicit profits amassed by this now-dismantled network amount to 200,000 euros, although the investigation remains open and further arrests are possible.