Six individuals, ranging in age from 14 to 55, were implicated in the theft of more than 40 competition pigeons across several municipalities in the Alicante and Valencia provinces. The birds, valued at roughly 50,000 euros, included two minors among the accused. The Civil Guard also indicated that two additional youths, under the age of 14, were involved but not held accountable due to their age. [Source: Guardia Civil attribution]
This operation, dubbed Culumbidae, was launched last April after the Civil Guard detected a rising wave of pigeon thefts across the country. In the initial phase, authorities, working in cooperation with the Valencian Community Colocicultura Federation, uncovered a hidden dovecote concealed in a valley beside a riverbank near the Serpis River in Alcoy. [Source: Guardia Civil attribution]
The nest site where the missing birds were kept was found at a palomar, the term for a pigeon loft, located along the Serpis river in Alcoy. The discovery came with a prompt response from the Benemérita, which led to a meticulous inspection on April 11. Officials rescued 38 pigeons that were confined in cages and kept under substandard sanitary conditions. [Source: Guardia Civil attribution]
The rescued birds had been stolen from several towns in Alicante, including Ibi, Algueña, and Gaianes, and also from the Valencian municipality of Benissoda. The investigation determined that two minors were directly involved and that two additional teenagers, due to their ages, could not be charged at the time. [Source: Guardia Civil attribution]
The investigative momentum continued as authorities traced four more pigeon thefts across the country. In Petrer, in the countryside, officers located a residence used to store illegally taken pigeons. Law enforcement worked with a victim to recover one of his birds, which was being used to entice the rest of the stolen flock. [Source: Guardia Civil attribution]
Following the discovery of additional stolen birds, a Spanish couple became suspects in the broader theft scheme and were investigated for both the bird thefts and the trespass on private property. [Source: Guardia Civil attribution]
The latest interventions by the team known as Roca culminated in May, when a case in Rojales surfaced. Investigators identified two women as potential perpetrators in another incident involving competition pigeons. [Source: Guardia Civil attribution]
All six individuals under investigation, all of Spanish nationality, face charges for a total of ten burglaries and one instance of burglary of habitations. The case continues to unfold as authorities pursue further leads and potential accomplices. [Source: Guardia Civil attribution]