Elda-Petrer Police Solve Tool Theft Case at Construction Site

Elda-Petrer National Police authorities arrested a man and a woman in connection with a theft that targeted tools stored at a company focused on improvements and construction works, associated with the new Petrer II health centre project. The incident trace begins with a report from a company employee who discovered the tool loss after the workday ended. The police response moved quickly from the initial complaint to a broader inquiry that spanned several days and involved multiple lines of evidence, eventually leading to the detention of two suspects. The investigation was prompted by a routine check of the job site, where a routine end-of-day procedure revealed that many tools were missing from their usual storage spaces. The case quickly shifted from a simple missing items scenario to a probable break-in tied to the ongoing construction project. The officers focused on the consistency of tool losses, the timing of the disappearances, and the locations where the tools were typically kept, seeking to establish a pattern that could pinpoint the perpetrators. The workers were accustomed to leaving their tools neatly boxed, labeled, and ready for the next day’s tasks, creating a predictable routine that would be exploited if a theft occurred. The discrepancy between what should have been present and what was found prompted a more thorough analysis by the security team and the police investigation unit. The detectives examined all available data to determine whether the losses were isolated incidents or part of a larger, organized activity. The inquiry examined every available source of evidence, from inventory records to entry logs, and included a review of the site’s alarm and security camera footage. As details emerged, it became clear that the timeline of the tool disappearances coincided with the period when the facility was in active use for the construction and installation phases of the new health centre. The investigative team cross-checked the times of alarm activations with the footage captured by the surveillance systems, paying particular attention to periods when the site was expected to be secured and silent. The authorities noted that the alarm system had been triggered in connection with a breach that occurred when the tools were most vulnerable, which helped the team narrow the window during which the theft could have occurred. The recorded imagery provided cautionary confirmation: the images depicted individuals within the restricted areas of the building complex, raising strong suspicion about their involvement. Police analysts reviewed the footage frame by frame, correlating the movements of the suspected individuals with moments when the access controls were momentarily bypassed or when doors and windows showed signs of forced entry. The investigative process demonstrated that the alleged perpetrators had likely gained access to the interior of the building by compromising a cabin housing the loot, possibly through a broken window or an unsecured entry point identified by security personnel during a routine sweep. The meticulous work of the investigators enabled valuable insights into the suspects’ appearances and behaviors, which facilitated subsequent identification. Thanks to the expertise of the officers assigned to this type of crime, two individuals were recognized from the video evidence and later confirmed as the alleged perpetrators. The police operation unfolded with careful planning, coordinating resources to track the suspects, verify their identities, and confirm their connection to the theft. A rapid deployment of a location and arrest operation allowed authorities to apprehend the suspects soon after the complaint was filed. The woman involved, a 36-year-old Spaniard, presented a profile that suggested prior exposure to similar criminal activity, something the National Police and the Civil Guard acknowledge when assessing risk factors associated with repeat offenses. After the arrest, the detainee was transferred to the appropriate investigative facility as part of the ongoing inquiry conducted by the Court of Inquiry in Elda-Petrer. The outcome of the investigation is expected to clarify the full scope of the theft and to account for all recovered items, ensuring that the case well documents the circumstances surrounding the incident. The authorities emphasise that the investigation remains open while they seek to recover any stolen equipment and to determine whether other items may still be at risk of being lost or misplaced. The case continues to be a priority for local law enforcement, and officials urge those with information to come forward to aid in resolving the remaining uncertainties surrounding the theft and the disposition of the seized tools. (Police records and ongoing case notes) — The pursuit of accountability in this matter reflects the commitment to protecting workers on construction sites and safeguarding critical regional infrastructure projects such as the new health centre in Petrer.