5 arrested with 1,000 terrace seats & stolen goods worth €1 million – all destined for Mali

Guardia Civil have arrested five professional criminals who robbed homes and businesses in the Marina Alta with intention to send stolen goods to Mali, Africa.

It was a crime-spree that could become a Netflix series.

No sooner had lockdown restrictions been removed back in the summer, a team of five set about robbing everything from watches in second homes to restaurant terrace furniture in the Marina Alta region of Alicante.

A list of 95 charges against the five suspects includes:

• Theft of items from inside houses (often while owners asleep)
• Burglary with force
• Bank fraud
• Money laundering
• Receiving stolen goods,
• Identity fraud
• Crimes against road safety
• Belonging to a criminal organisation.

The police operation began in June after Guardia Civil agents in Moraira and Benissa recorded a rise in petty theft and burglaries – it’s worth remembering Spain exited lockdown on 20th June.

The five criminals involved began breaking into second homes at all hours of the day – the thieves took their shoes off to not wake sleeping owners, reports La Marina Plaza.

The gang took objects they could make a quick sale on: jewellery, watches, cash, bank cards and electronic equipment.

Bank cards were maxed out immediately, before owners realised the scam and blocked their accounts.

Police traced the crimes back to a Valencian family in Ribarroja, who used a network of vehicles to rob homes in: Teulada, Moraira, Benissa, Calp, Benitatxell, Denia, Javea, Gandia, Cullera, Sueca, Tavernes, Aldaia and even up to Castellón.

Mali Connection

The two main Spanish nationals behind the robberies are a couple aged 27 and 25, according to Guardia Civil.

The couple used a network to sell the fruit of their crimes – police caught one of those arrested in Aldaia loading a shipping container full of restaurant terrace furniture and electronic equipment for shipment to Mali.

Police found a total of 105 shipping containers and 60 lorry containers ready for shipping at the site.

The illegal items in Aldaia included:

• 1,000 terraces seats
• 1,000 pieces of jewellery
• Thousands of electronic equipment, including phones, electric scooters and televisions
• 30 snow tyres
• Eight electricity generators
• Hundreds of bags, wallets and sunglasses
• Bank cards
• Three cars

The estimated cost of the stolen goods has been estimated at €1 million.

The five people arrested included the couple (27-year-old man and 25-year-old woman), two more Spaniards (43-year-old man and 54-year-old woman) and a Mali national, aged 39.

The 27-year-old man has been sent to prison without bail as authorities considered him the ring leader.

The four remaining suspects have been released on bail, pending trial.