The National Police have detained six members of a suspected gang believed to have robbed eight homes in luxury Madrid urbanizations, including those of footballers Radamel Falcao of Rayo Vallecano and Rodrygo Goes of Real Madrid.
Authorities reported that the group targeted residences by analyzing public posts on social media, where they studied photos and videos shared by relatives and people close to the athletes about the interiors of their homes.
Police sources indicated that the gang stole items valued at about 1.8 million euros, with a preference for high-end watches and jewelry, products that can be moved more easily on the black market.
The gang, composed of Spaniards, Moroccans, and an Italian, operated in a structured way: two leaders who carried out the robberies, two associates who occasionally conducted surveillance and provided support, the partner of one member who typically sold the stolen goods, and a shop owner who purchased them.
The group began its activities in July 2022, committing eight robberies in the Madrid area, including Alcobendas, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Torrelodones, and within Madrid city itself.
The investigation revealed that during one incident the two leaders attempted to break into the home of Rodrygo Goes in Alcobendas but fled when a domestic worker intervened. Ten months later, they tried again at the same address and succeeded in stealing items valued around 500,000 euros, notably premium watches and jewelry.
In that case, three men were placed at the scene, gaining entry by jumping a fence and escaping in a vehicle afterward.
Investigators from Group XI of the Madrid Judicial Police linked the two incidents, identified one of the vehicles used, and focused on the vehicle owner, the partner of one of the alleged thieves, as a key figure in the case.
Forensic analysis placed the suspects near a burglary suffered by a Colombian Real Madrid player, Radamel Falcao, last November at his La Florida residence in the Moncloa-Aravaca district.
On that occasion, the assailants allegedly restrained a household employee while securing their loot. They used a stolen car for travel and a motorcycle with a altered license plate to make their exit.
Additionally, investigators linked the gang to a burglary at the home of a prominent businessperson in Torrelodones, whose identity remains undisclosed.
Social media surveillance
As the inquiry progressed, two associates were identified. They, too, played a role in guiding the robbers to potential targets, selecting high-value individuals as their marks.
They exploited the content posted by homeowners on social networks to pinpoint valuable items, study the layouts of the houses, and gauge when residents were away.
The team also conducted fieldwork in Madrid’s affluent neighborhoods. If they spotted someone wearing an expensive watch, they followed them home to study security systems and assess access vulnerabilities, according to one investigator who spoke to reporters on Wednesday.
In response, police heightened patrols in exclusive developments and thwarted two more robbery attempts. One occurred at the home of another leading footballer in La Finca, a prestigious area in Pozuelo.
Another line of inquiry traced the stolen goods to an Italian owner of a central Madrid shop dealing in precious metals, where the gang’s female associate reportedly brought the loot for resale.
With that transaction, authorities believe the gang laundered jewelry and watches by moving them into the black market, concealing their profits within the financial records of the shop.
On February 13, six suspects were arrested in Toledo, Ávila, and Madrid. The Madrid Court of Instruction No. 14 ordered provisional detention for three of them.