With close to fifty criminal records each in their criminal record, the couple of robbers had specialized in assaulting hotel receptions in Barcelona at knifepoint. The guild was very concerned. So far this year alone, the two men had robbed seven establishments. Blows that were executed in a matter of seconds, with a lot of verbal and physical violence if necessary and demanding whatever was at hand at the reception.
The proliferation of robberies led to the creation of a working group made up of mossos from the Eixample, Gràcia and Sarrià-Sant Gervasi investigation units. From the police work, it was possible to identify one of the assailants, Jonathan H. C., a 37-year-old Spaniard. The investigators designed an operation last weekend to arrest them, with mossos from the three investigation units and the support of the Fura (plainclothes agents specializing in urban crime) from Barcelona and the active search group for fugitives. Led by the corporal in charge of the investigation of Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, about twenty policemen, on motorcycles, police vehicles without a logo and even on foot at some point took up positions on Friday from seven in the evening.
The investigators had located Jonathan in an apartment in the Born and began a discreet surveillance in the surroundings until he appeared, looking everywhere and in a vigilant attitude, with the white helmet that he used to hide his face in recent robberies. He quickly got into a Honda SH 300 reported for theft and drove off, mobilizing the mossos who were following him.
The suspect drove to the Can Baró neighborhood, parked and managed to enter some buildings connected by interior patios, where they lost sight of him. While some policemen watched the motorcycle waiting for the return, others discovered that a Honda SH 125 was traveling at high speed with two individuals and, despite not being able to be identified, one wore a white helmet identical to Jonathan's and the other a black one. The person in charge of the operation decided to follow the vehicle while confirming through the license plate that the motorcycle corresponded to Jesús C.R., a 35-year-old Spaniard, and with numerous priors for robberies, the vast majority with violence.
The suspects returned to look for the first of the motorcycles, the stolen one, and headed for the Eixample, driving aimlessly, but intentionally slowing down each time they passed near a hotel. The vehicle was traveling at high speed, without respecting traffic lights and even on the sidewalk to change the direction of travel. They stopped for a few seconds on Calle Diputació, between Pau Claris and Passeig de Gràcia. When the mossos located them again, the motorcycle was circulating through Consell de Cent, and an operator from the 112 room reported on the station that two individuals with motorcycle helmets had robbed a hotel on Diputación street.
At that moment it was agreed to stop them, but trying to minimize risks for the police and for the suspects. The vehicle headed for Pedralbes. They were lost again at the Sofia Hotel and after a few minutes the room reported a new robbery at a hotel from which they took a small safe and took it with them.
The policemen located them again at the height of the Mig round; and in General Mitre, a mosso on a motorcycle stood in parallel and ordered them to stop. The suspects side-rammed the police motorcycle until it was knocked over. The chase ended with the motorcycle of the suspects colliding with the car of the head of the operation that crossed their path. Even so, the two individuals got up, ran away and when they were hit, they resisted with kicks and punches. On Sunday they were booked into prison without bail.
In the safe that they did not open and that the hotel director recovered on Sunday there were 2,500 euros, according to what she herself told La Vanguardia. In the first of the establishments they took about 300 euros. Three policemen were injured.
