During a special operation to prevent violent robberies, typically committed by snatching and grabbing, National Police officers arrested 12 suspects in Alicante. Additionally, the police have solved six crimes and found and restored numerous items of jewellery to their rightful owners.
Following a succession of complaints filed in the last two weeks about thefts using the snatching method, a police investigation was launched to eradicate this sort of crime, which was causing “a great sense of insecurity among citizens,” the National Police said in a statement.
The officers discovered a common thread in all of the recorded incidents: the thefts were carried out aggressively, employing the grabbing approach, and the primary objective was jewellery. Furthermore, the victims were vulnerable, including the elderly, minors, and those with limited intellectual ability.
Modus Operandi
The procedure was always the same. According to the National Police, the alleged culprits approached their victims while they were walking down public streets and, after following them a few metres away and reaching an area where they were defenceless, robbed them of their belongings, primarily gold chains.
The criminals did not hesitate to employ physical violence when required, injuring some of their victims.
When they had the jewellery, they would proceed to the gold- buying and selling places or the black market to try to sell it. Apparently, they did not select the stuff they stole at random. They typically chose high-value jewellery (pendants, necklaces, etc.) that could be sold to third parties instantly and profitably.
Officers continued their investigation, focusing especially on the Carolinas, El Pla, and Bulevar del Pla neighbourhoods. Consequently, the authorities increased police presence by deploying both uniformed and plainclothes officers.
For two weeks, police conducted an operation in these locations. Officers used static control devices on numerous streets to identify individuals on foot and in automobiles. Furthermore, residents who called the National Police through CIMACC Room 091 reported robberies across the northern zone received a prompt and coordinated reaction.
This operation resulted in the arrest of 12 people for alleged involvement in violent robbery, as well as the investigation of six criminal episodes, which resulted in the recovery of numerous valuables and their return to their rightful owners.
The National Police will continue to strengthen citizen security, with a focus on the northern portion of the city, to safeguard the city’s safety.
Author: Derek Appleton
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