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Burglary gang foiled for the second time ■SUZANNE O’CONNELL
suzanne@costablancapeople.com
Tuesday, February 14th - 20th 2017
Theft and robbery from private houses has been on the increase recently with a number of reported break-ins on the La Siesta urbanisation. Although, the identity of the thieves was suspected for a while, the police have needed to collect sufficient evidence to be able to arrest and charge those responsible. Finally, the Guardia Civil have arrested five men and one woman who are suspected of being part of a criminal gang who have been breaking and entering properties around the La Siesta, El Chaparral, San Luis, El Limonar and Paraje Natural areas. A spike in these crimes was noticed from November 2016 onwards. The arrests were made after a detailed investigation which led them to two properties in Torrevieja where they found a number of items which had been reported as stolen following recent robberies. These included three plasma televisions, a laptop, the keys to five cars and a number of electronic items. At the homes of the accused they found a number of tools used to commit the robberies including those that were used to break locks on doors at the
victims’ houses.They also found 140 grams of marihuana and hashish along with scales for weighing the drugs and items used in packing it. Some of these were hidden amongst the toys of a child belonging to one of the detainees. All those detained are Spanish and between 23 and 43 years of age. The woman is also Spanish and 22 years old. It is believed that in total they have carried out at least ten robberies one of which involved an assault on a witness. Those arrested are also being accused of selling drugs. This is the second time, in less than a year, that this gang has been arrested. They are a particularly lethal and active band who are capable of breaking into as many as five premises a night. The first time the gang was discovered, one of them was sent to prison for a few months only to be released in October, following which the gang quickly resumed their criminal activities once again.
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