National Police officers, working in collaboration with the Guardia Civil, arrested five members of a very active travelling organisation. They are suspected of multiple national copper theft offences, including burglary and vandalism.
They specialised in committing burglaries at electricity storage and distribution facilities by utilising the “butrón” method. This practice was used throughout Spain to steal copper cables and subsequently sell them at scrap yards. The total worth of all stolen products was €567,471.
The commission of many burglary crimes across the country prompted the formation of a unified investigation team. Numerous National Police and Civil Guard units formed this team due to the wide geographical scope of the investigations.
The same crime pattern throughout numerous provinces
The probe has been ongoing since last March. The investigation focused on multiple crimes that followed a consistent pattern. These events included up to thirteen robberies around the country, with the majority taking place in the provinces of Alicante, Albacete, Murcia, and Valladolid.
The scheme for their robberies began with the rental of a large van-type vehicle, which they utilised to travel. They frequently travelled alongside private vehicles to the locations where they were to act in each scenario. They targeted electrical storage and distribution firms in industrial areas.
The “butrón” (a hole) was formed when one or more companies in the same industry were emphasised. This strategy allowed them to enter the facility and steal copper stuff.
It’s not uncommon for them to drill holes in warehouses near the interested party. This simplified their illicit operation, as they would drill holes in up to two warehouses to reach the desired party.
On the night of the theft, they moved the loot to recovery and recycling companies in neighbouring provinces. This enabled them to evade suspicion when selling the stolen goods in the province where they committed the crime. They even employed shuttle buses to travel.
Up to three robberies in one night
As a result, officers from both police units identified a network of at least six members. These men and women’s addresses were throughout various Spanish provinces. However, Novelda, a town in Alicante, served as their central hub.
Within the group, each member had a distinct role. This enabled close coordination in the execution of the robberies.
In fact, their precise synchronisation enabled them to pull off three robberies in the same night. They received plunder worth €246,744 in copper stolen from an Ibi firm. These and other robberies in Villena, La Cañada, and Elche totalled €380,000.
Copper coils up to 8,000 kilogrammes
The organisation sought plunder from electrical corporations. They were hunting for coils of plastic-coated copper wires.
Some of the coils weighed between 6,000 and 8,000 kilograms. The offenders removed them and cut them into little pieces to make them easier to take to their vehicles.
A notable incident occurred in Valladolid. Due to the large amount of copper stolen, the suspects spent three consecutive nights “working” to remove it. The theft resulted in financial damages of around €150,000 for the affected company.
Arrested in Flagrante
After establishing the identities of all involved parties, the investigating officers discovered a second robbery. The suspects intended to use a rented vehicle they already possessed.
Because of this, the investigation was accelerated. A surveillance operation was set up around the suspects, resulting in the arrest of two members of the network. They had perpetrated a heist in the Murcia town of Bullas and were apprehended with a van containing a big amount of wiring. A company in this town’s industrial park supplied this van.
Three other members of the criminal organisation were later arrested in the province of Alicante. One person was apprehended in Aspe, and two more in Novelda.
Second phase: Scrapyard managers are detained
The research discovered that there were two metal recovery and recycling businesses in Leganés and Numancia de La Sagra. These companies allegedly colluded with the robbers. The companies purchased the copper, fully aware that the quantity was exceptional and likely of illegal origin. They profited from the product that the criminal organisation under investigation had stolen.
As a result, a second phase of the inquiry, centred around his arrest, was launched. Two more people were arrested as the leaders of these businesses. They are accused of receiving stolen goods, and two other people are being investigated in connection with this.
During these searches, an Illescas-based SEPRONA patrol assisted them. They found several administrative infractions at the companies under examination.
The operation concluded with the arrest of seven persons. Five people were suspected of burglary and damage. The remaining two were arrested for receiving stolen goods. Two additional people were probed, increasing the total number of members involved to nine.
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