The Mossos d'Esquadra have dismantled a criminal group specialized in violent robberies, with force and thefts committed in Barcelona in recent months. In total there have been ten detainees (nine men and one woman, between the ages of 19 and 35), who acted in an organized and structured manner. They accumulated more than a hundred records since the summer of last year.
The investigators directly relate them to some fifty criminal acts reported in Barcelona for a few months, but due to their high activity, it is not ruled out that they are linked to other cases. They also acted in France, Germany and Belgium. International police coordination and the exchange of information have revealed that they have a multi-recidivist criminal profile also in those three countries. Two of those arrested are among the 20 most active thieves, according to Europol.
Most of those investigated in the framework of this operation act with false identities, which allowed them to move more easily and without raising suspicions when they were identified or detained.
The investigation began at the beginning of the year when, in the framework of devices and patrols carried out in Pla Tremall to combat multiple recidivism in the Gràcia neighborhood, people with criminal records were identified who had occupied various properties that they used to carry out their criminal activity. . The three homes were used as hiding places, storage and distribution points for the stolen objects.
His modus operandi used to be mounted on electric scooters to move quickly to the center of the city and at the time of the robbery, to be able to flee quickly to avoid being arrested. On Monday, March 27, the Catalan police searched the homes of the defendants and located inside the apartments about thirty mobile phones, an electric bicycle, a multitude of electronic objects, watches, bags, electric scooters... Also foreign currency and 3,330 euros.
The detainees were released after testifying before the judge.
