In a series of bold daytime robberies, a pair of suspects used a knife and a screwdriver to overwhelm their victims. One of the victims was approached with a plea for a quick rescue in the hope of recovering a car and a cell phone. The crimes unfolded across municipalities, targeting areas such as Abarán and Cieza in Murcia. The Civil Guard acted quickly, detaining the two individuals and detaining them at the Sentry Court before they were moved to a temporary facility for processing.
The two men, aged 26 and 33 and both residents of Cieza, were arrested as part of the so-called Pacis operation. Initiated in November and backed by close-knit networks, the investigation linked roughly a dozen offenses to Vega Alta. The charges include robbery with violence and intimidation, robbery by force, vehicle theft, and extortion.
Initial actions involved stealing a car during the night in Cieza. Minutes later, a neighbor walking her dog was ambushed at knifepoint. One suspect, wearing a hood, threatened her with the tool and forced her to withdraw money from a cash dispenser.
The following day, criminal activity escalated in broad daylight inside a Cieza parking lot, where a woman was threatened at knife point and robbed of a watchful eye tool used in later home invasions across rural areas of Abarán and Cieza. The Civil Guard described how the same instrument was employed to carry out multiple forced robberies in homes scattered through the region.
Investigators pieced together the suspects’ movements, leading to identifications and subsequent locations. One was tracked to Cieza, while the other fled toward Abarán, where authorities believe he continued to perpetrate crimes.
blackmailing a neighbor
Earlier, the same individual had broken into cottages at night to steal, and then exploited a neighbor’s lapse in vigilance to seize a recently bought car and a premium cell phone. The plan was to demand a ransom of several thousand euros in exchange for the return of the car and phone. Fortunately, no payment was required, and the ruse was uncovered before any ransom was paid.
Confronted with imminent blackmail, the Civil Guard launched a targeted operation that pinpointed the criminal act and traced the suspect to a parking lot near a shopping center in the Murcia capital. This rapid intervention allowed the vehicle and mobile device to be recovered and returned to their owner. The case was documented by authorities to underline how fast action can deter a calculated sequence of crimes in small municipalities (Civil Guard report, 2024).
As these events unfolded, investigators highlighted a pattern of violence used to coerce victims, and the importance of quick, coordinated police work in rural zones. The case serves as a reminder for residents and travelers in similar communities across Spain and, by extension, in North America, that prompt reporting and defense of personal property can play a crucial role in preventing opportunistic crime during both day and night hours. The authorities confirmed that the arrests mark a turning point in a broader effort to restore security across Vega Alta and neighboring areas, demonstrating the effectiveness of vigilant patrols and cross-jurisdictional collaboration (Civil Guard summary, 2024).