GANG members were busted after carrying out a string of robberies that targeted popular expat regions on the Costa del Sol.
Police have arrested four suspects in connection to at least a dozen burglaries in Malaga and affluent surrounding towns, Nerja and Mijas.
The Policia Nacional caught up with the gang just in time. Investigators indicated that their latest movements suggested they were lining up a spree of crimes in Marbella, Estepona, Torrox and Velez-Malaga.
The perpetrators broke locks, scaled walls and climbed through windows to get hands on cash, jewellery and valuables. In particular, the suspects targeted homes with perimeter walls.
Police tracked down the gang’s HQ, an apartment in Malaga city centre, and followed their movements for months.
They uncovered an elaborate scheme based on surveillance and targeting upscale residential areas.
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The gang carefully divided roles between its members. The only woman in the group was responsible for selecting targets.
She found an appropriate property and then rang the doorbell to ensure it was empty.
Then, two other suspects, wearing balaclavas and wielding crowbars, raided the properties searching for valuables. The final member of the cell was the getaway driver.
Although the gang specialised in burglaries, their operation also involved shoplifting. They used special ‘shielded’ bags to circumvent alarm systems.
Police say they found brand-new designer watches, clothes and jewellery in their apartment, alongside the tools they used to carry out their crimes.
The four suspects have been remanded in custody.
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