Agents of the National Police have arrested four men for robbing 23 bars and game rooms in the Community of Madrid using the sledgehammer method, the Madrid Police Headquarters reported this Monday in a press release.
Once they entered the establishments, they forced the cash registers or gaming machines to obtain the proceeds. After several days using the same stolen vehicle for their robberies, they got rid of it to avoid any police investigation.
They are also charged with the crimes of belonging to a criminal organization, three vehicle thefts, two crimes of damage as well as three crimes against road safety.
The investigation began at the end of July when several robberies were detected in hospitality establishments and gambling halls with the same 'modus operandi'.
Four men with their faces hidden and on board stolen high-powered vehicles, went to the premises and broke the windows or closures with the help of a sledgehammer.
Once inside and with the same tool, they forced the cash registers and recreational machines to obtain the proceeds. Immediately afterwards, they left the place aboard the vehicle and at high speed to avoid any police action.
As the investigations advanced, they managed to determine that they could be the same people and that they adopted numerous security measures to avoid being discovered after their assaults.
Among them stands out the fact that, after several days using the same vehicle in the robberies, they got rid of it either by spraying a fire extinguisher inside or by burning it, thus trying to eliminate any evidence that could link them to the criminal acts.
Furthermore, they always acted at dawn, committing up to five robberies in the same night, crossing the Community of Madrid from one point to another in a few minutes.
Once the investigators managed to identify all of them, they were able to verify that they were allegedly involved in 23 robberies - 21 bars and two game rooms -, two crimes of damage and three vehicle thefts.
They were also charged with the crime of belonging to a criminal organization and against road safety since three of the four arrested were driving the cars without the necessary permit.
