Two-time Fraud Suspect Arrested Across Spain
In a coordinated operation, Novelda Civil Guards detained a 38-year-old suspect and a Spanish national in Monforte del Cid. The man is accused of committing fraud over a six month period, with losses topping 100,000 euros. He targeted mobile phone and vehicle dealers across six provinces, leaving victims with substantial financial harm.
Authorities say the detainee faces 14 charges of fraud, with a total alleged value of 101,979 euros. The provinces implicated include Alicante, Jaén, A Coruña, Lugo, Madrid, and Zaragoza. At the moment of arrest, the suspect held six active arrest warrants issued by courts in Elda, Granada, Lugo, Madrid, Malaga, and Toledo.
The arrest followed a formal complaint filed with the Novelda Civil Guard on April 5. A person reported that an online sale of a mobile phone had been arranged through a popular marketplace for used items. The seller quoted a price of 1,200 euros for the device and believed the buyer had initiated a bank transfer after the exchange. The buyer even presented a payment confirmation, but the funds failed to appear in the seller’s account, resulting in a fraudulent loss.
In a related development, investigators from the Field of Investigation verified the fraudster’s involvement in 13 additional schemes. These included similar scams involving mobile devices and cars across Alicante, Jaén, A Coruña, Lugo, Madrid, and Zaragoza within the last six months. The suspect also faced six arrest warrants from courts in Elda, Granada, Lugo, Madrid, Malaga, and Toledo.
The task of locating the alleged fraudster proved challenging due to his behavior across much of Spain and the absence of a fixed address. After two weeks of persistent efforts, Novelda Civil Guard officers located him on April 19 near a restaurant in Monforte del Cid and promptly took him into custody.
Following the detention, officers in Elda recovered a vehicle that had been involved in earlier frauds and returned it to its rightful owner. The detainee, already carrying a substantial criminal record, remained in custody after appearing in court in Novelda where further legal proceedings commenced.
Court records and ongoing investigations indicate that the suspect’s criminal activity spanned multiple jurisdictions within Spain, underscoring the need for cross regional cooperation to protect consumers and dealers from similar scams in the future. The case continues to unfold as prosecutors advance charges and gather additional evidence. Attribution: Novelda Civil Guard