Two Band Members Arrested in San Pedro Alcántara
Two members of a criminal gang were arrested in San Pedro Alcántara. The National Police and Civil Guard jointly conducted an investigation that led to the dismantling of a violent criminal group. This group was involved in committing robberies using the ram-raid method in commercial establishments in towns in the provinces of Málaga and Cádiz, including San Pedro Alcántara.
Details of the Criminal Group and Their Operations
The group, consisting of four individuals, was based in the province of Málaga. They would steal vehicles that they used to carry out robberies in establishments. The investigation began in late July 2023 following a robbery in Estepona at an electronics store. Another robbery took place at a jewelry store in San Luis de Sabinillas, where jewelry worth 15,285 euros was stolen. The vehicle used in the ram-raid was stolen hours before the robbery in the same town and was later abandoned at the crime scene.
Investigation and Identification of the Criminals
The Organic Unit of the Judicial Police of the Civil Guard Command of Málaga took over the investigation, analyzing the data obtained from a thorough inspection at the crime scene. Meanwhile, the UDEV PATRIMONIO Group of the Local Brigade of the Judicial Police of the National Police of Estepona managed to identify the vehicle used in the getaway from the crime scene in Estepona, which was used by one of the members of the criminal group.
Continued Robberies and Arrests
However, more robberies with the same modus operandi continued to occur during August and September in the towns of San Pedro de Alcántara, Ronda, Nuevo Guadiaro, Jerez de la Frontera, and Palomares. These crimes were committed on weekends, coinciding with the prison leave of one of the detainees, who took advantage of his third-degree situation to commit new criminal acts. One of these robberies occurred on September 4 at a supermarket in San Luis de Sabinillas, which was thwarted by patrols that were alerted, forcing the criminals to flee the scene hastily.
Attributed Crimes and Final Arrests
This criminal group is attributed with committing 22 crimes, 12 ram-raids in commercial establishments, and 10 vehicle thefts over a short span of four months. The collaboration and coordination between both police bodies and the information obtained during the investigation led the agents to identify the members of the criminal group and establish a series of services aimed at arresting its members. Finally, after a large police operation, one of the members of this criminal group was arrested on August 18 during one of the investigated robberies at a supermarket in Jerez de la Frontera (Cádiz). Two others were arrested on October 6 while carrying out another robbery in a San Pedro de Alcántara establishment, with a fourth being charged as an investigated suspect.
Detainees and Legal Proceedings
The arrests were made flagrantly after the criminal group committed ram-raids in both towns. The three detainees, of Spanish nationality and aged between 22 and 32, were brought before the court for the alleged commission of the crimes of robbery with force, vehicle theft, and belonging to a criminal organization, and their imprisonment was decreed. Information about this operation was released on Wednesday through a statement.
