ROMA (ITALPRESS) – Agents of the Spanish National Police, in a joint operation with the Central Operating Service of the State Police and with the Mobile Team of Rome, have dismantled a traveling cell, of Italian origin, presumably specialized in theft of jewels. Four people were arrested for their involvement in 21 criminous episodes throughout the country, during which they took over 500,000 euros in jewelry.
The arrest of the four components of the cell was a challenge for the agents because of the few traces left during the crime commission, as well as the numerous security measures taken to avoid being linked to criminal activity. The investigation began after, in recent years, the commission of thefts in jewellery throughout Spain with a very characteristic “modus operandi”. A couple of women entered the commercial exercise and were interested in different products; at that time the employee showed them the articles, normally arranged on jewelry mats. In that fringent, with extraordinary skill and taking advantage of the distraction of the worker, who could not pay attention to so many products, they removed one of the mats hiding it in a handkerchief or in a bag. Then they left the shop quietly and without desturing suspicion.
After a thorough analysis of similar cases in recent years, agents have identified a similar theft, committed in 2012 to Zaragoza, in which an Italian citizen was arrested with physical characteristics that fully coincided with one of the most recent facts. On the basis of this element, the agents opened a permanent channel of police cooperation with the Italian State Police and, thanks to the exchange of information, learned that that woman was part of a criminal group specialized in the commission of thefts in jewellery throughout Europe. Since then, the aim of the investigation has been to locate and arrest members of the criminal group. Their identification was a challenge for the agents, as the authors acted as ghosts, without a trace. In the jewellery, during thefts, they avoided manipulating or touching objects in order not to leave prints and used garments as disguise to make them more difficult or avoid their identification. They did not register in hotels and changed vehicle and telephone at every trip from Italy to Spain, carrying out 4 or 5 days criminal campaigns. They traveled hundreds of kilometers until they reached the place where the jewellery was subject to the crime and, after committing it, they traveled again long distances until they reached the city chosen to stay overnight. This practice had only one purpose: to avoid being linked to the criminal fact.
Analized the information provided by Italy, the investigators discovered a particular interest: every time a robbery occurred in a jewellery shop, in a locality located at a distance between 100 and 400 kilometers from the site of the crime, it housed an Italian citizen linked to the main investigation. With the analysis of this new information, the agents have identified new delittuosi episodes committed by the investigators and a European Order of Investigation has been issued by the Spanish authorities to proceed to the localization of the investigations. Finally, on 30 March, the presence in Spain of the four inquiries was noted with the clear intention of committing new offences.
The agents then activated an operating device and, the next day, managed to arrest them all in Palencia. Among their personal effects, the arrested had clothing used during the commission of previous crimes, as well as 4,000 euros in cash. 21 episodes and jewels subtracted for a value greater than 500,000 euros: The agents have ascertained the alleged involvement of the arrested in 21 episodes of crime throughout the national territory, some of which were committed ten years ago. In particular, facts have been clarified in various places of Asturias, in Logroño, Murcia, Palencia, Valencia, Almería, Albacete, Badajoz, Alicante, Seville, Castellón and Granada.
The four arrested have been made available to the judicial authority, which has placed custody in prison for three of them.
– Photo of repertoire State Police –
(ITALPRESS).
