A security officer was charged in Barcelona alongside fifteen others in a case that ties together more than a hundred chalet-style burglaries spread across several provinces, with a concentration in the northern regions of the country.
A criminal network made up of Albanian and Spanish nationals was taken down after a wide-ranging operation that began in Catalonia but uncovered significant activity across Spain, according to the General Directorate of the Civil Guard on Wednesday.
The inquiry stretched over almost a year, beginning late last January when a surge in burglaries targeting detached, single-family homes was observed in the communities of Asturias and León.
Investigators traced the operation to a criminal syndicate predominantly composed of Albanian nationals, who reportedly relied on local Spanish associates to handle logistics such as vehicle rental and temporary lodging.
Further investigations allowed authorities to describe the organization as consisting of five cells, each led by Albanian operatives tasked with interior theft. Within every cell, three or four members carried out highly defined roles; a driver provided surveillance, while other members prepared entry and if necessary acted as a secondary transport link to support the operation.
Robberies completed in minutes
The group primarily targeted homes in the northern part of the country, carrying out attacks between 8 p.m. and midnight on isolated single-family residences.
Perimeter fences and garden walls were scaled to breach properties, after which intruders entered swiftly and exited in under five minutes. In the course of the raids, investigators recovered cash totaling around 10,000 euros, three firearms, a fleet of high-end vehicles, and approximately 15 mobile devices. The operation reportedly relied on nearly 30 different vehicles to conduct the robberies and associated movements.
Officials believe the network is part of a larger criminal organization designed to fund additional “robbery campaigns” and sustain a highly structured chain of command across its activities.
Members of this international network were identified as operating in France, Italy, Albania, and Germany. One detainee has been linked to a burglary carried out in 2016, according to investigators.
All fifteen suspects were detained and five premises searched in the Barcelona province during the course of the operation last November. A formal arrest warrant was issued for one additional suspect who remains under court review, while the broader inquiry continues to unfold.
Authorities emphasize that the case remains active and additional charges could be filed as the investigation progresses, with authorities continuing to pursue every lead to map the full extent of the network’s activities. [Civil Guard statement]