Spain: Civil Guard arrests eleven members of a nocturnal burglary ring linked to rural chalet raids
Eleven individuals were detained by the Civil Guard and nine others were identified in connection with a criminal group accused of targeting isolated rural homes in northern Spain. All those arrested were registered as residents of Barcelona and are alleged to have carried out multiple attacks on chalets and standalone houses across several regions including Aragon, La Rioja, Castilla y Leon, Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia.
The operation, which the authorities described as their most significant strike yet against the gang, led to the seizure of stolen goods valued at approximately six hundred thousand euros and the dismantling of the criminal network. The police stated that the probe uncovered a structured organization with a clear hierarchy and operational routine that enabled the group to commit numerous robberies while evading capture for an extended period.
Two primary leaders of the ring were apprehended at El Prat airport as they attempted to depart the country, allegedly carrying jewelry, watches and cash. The rest of the organization faced arrests during other search operations conducted at several residences tied to the group.
Investigative findings indicate that the criminals preferred evening and night hours for their activities, making daily intercity trips that covered roughly 300 to 400 kilometers from Barcelona to remote rural sites. In these locations, they reportedly conducted three or four robberies in a single night, focusing primarily on jewelry and cash as the main targets.
To avoid leaving traces, the group rotated vehicles and used frequent transfers among members, a tactic that complicated the tracking process for investigators. The operation also involved the execution of warrants at multiple properties, where agents recovered numerous items reported as stolen and detained additional evidence, including a device designed to suppress canine alerts, a reagent test used to verify the purity of gold, and a device capable of detecting diamonds.
Those detained now face charges related to being members of a criminal organization. A local court in Huesca granted temporary imprisonment to four of the suspects, while the remaining defendants were released with various charges still pending. The ongoing probe is being conducted by the Organic Unit of the Civil Guard Judicial Police in Huesca, which continues to collect evidence and assess additional leads related to the group’s operations.
Source: Civil Guard authorities, who documented the operation and its outcomes as part of their ongoing efforts to disrupt organized crime involving residential property theft across northern Spain.