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In a joint operation of the National Police and the Mossos d'Esquadra
Two members of an itinerant criminal group dedicated to commit robberies with force using the moon landing method detained
– The criminal group was based in Madrid although one of its members, resident in Sitges (Barcelona), was engaged in collecting information and monitoring commercial establishments to ensure the success of possible thefts
– The perpetrators moved from Madrid to Barcelona days before, or even the night of the robbery, to commit the crime and returned to the capital with the booty, which they quickly introduced into the market for the sale of stolen goods.
– In some of its moon landings, the criminal group used a stolen backhoe loader to gain access to the place
– The value of the effects stolen in the imputed robberies, committed between October 2018 and March 2019, amounts to more than 1,000,000 euros
July 13, 2019– In a joint operation of the National Police and the Mossos d'Esquadra, two members of an itinerant criminal group have been arrested, allegedly committing robberies with force using the moon landing method. The criminal group was based in Madrid although one of its members, resident in Sitges (Barcelona), was engaged in collecting information and monitoring commercial establishments to ensure the success of possible thefts. The authors of the events were specialized in the commission of robberies with force by means of the method of the landing using, for it, vehicles of high range subtracted. The value of the effects stolen in the imputed robberies, committed between October 2018 and March 2019, amounts to more than 1,000,000 euros.
The first investigations began in October 2018 when a Joint Investigation Team was created, formed by agents of the National Police and of Mossos d'Esquadra, with the objective of investigating a criminal group, based in Madrid, involved in a robbery with strength occurred that same month in a commercial establishment in Girona. In this robbery, the authors, after forcing the outer glass door with a mallet and cutting the interior blind with a radial, accessed the premises and stolen electronic material -mobile phones, watches and cameras- valued at 125,000 euros.
A month later, the agents learned of a new criminal act committed in a luxury store located on Paseo de Gracia in Barcelona. On this occasion, the authors built a car against the window, accessed the interior of the establishment and stolen many items -bags, belts and clothing- valued at almost 400,000 euros. The modus operandi employed confirmed that those investigated were criminals specializing in committing robberies with force using the moon landing method. For this, they used high-end vehicles stolen.
One of the detainees, resident in Sitges, provided information to the criminal group that was based in Madrid
The investigations carried out in relation to the thefts concluded that the authors of the same came from the Community of Madrid. The agents identified two of them; one was an old acquaintance of the Police for his extensive background record related to crimes against property; the second, in addition to being involved in the robbery, would be engaged in the collection of information, and the prior surveillance of commercial establishments to steal, to facilitate it to their consorts in Madrid.
With the advance of the investigation, the agents observed how this last individual moved to the Paseo de Gracia in Barcelona and studied the enclave of certain luxury goods shops, analyzing the shop windows, the security measures and the surroundings. He also recorded videos and took pictures of the establishment and its surroundings, all with the intention of ensuring the success of a possible moon landing. Afterwards, and with this information, the criminal group moved from Madrid to Barcelona days before, or the same night of the robbery, committed the crime and returned to the capital with the booty that was quickly introduced in the market for buying and selling stolen goods. .
Frantic criminal activity of the investigated
In the month of February 2019 there were new robberies in a short space of time, attributable to some of the investigated, who confirmed the frantic criminal activity of the same. Striking two robberies with force, by the method of the landing, committed in a store of high-end bicycles of Pozuelo de Alarcón (Madrid). In the first of them they stole 17 bicycles valued at more than 142,000 euros; In the second, which took place only five days later, seven bicycles were taken away, which were recovered by the National Police agents that same day.
In addition, the agents learned of two other moon landings, also committed in February, in the delegations of a tobacco distribution company located in Albacete and Ávila. The novelty of these last ones is in which the moon landings were carried out with a subtracted backhoe machine.
A booty valued at 422,000 euros
In March 2019 there was a new moon landing in which, allegedly, the members of the criminal group investigated were involved. The affected establishment was, once again, a luxury store located on Paseo de Gracia in Barcelona. The authors struck several times with one of the vehicles, reversing, the main door of the establishment, managing to break the two doors and leaving the access to the interior open. Then, five people dressed in dark clothes and with their faces covered entered the store while a sixth individual remained outside performing surveillance functions. On this occasion, only stolen handbags, since their exit on the black market is easier and faster, valued at 422,000 euros. Once the robbery was committed, the authors left the cars in the town of Sant Pere Molanta, Barcelona, and were recovered in later days.
In the last phase of the investigation, the agents have arrested the two main investigators in Pinto (Madrid) and Sitges (Barcelona). The detainee in Madrid, aged 35, is charged with 11 events in Madrid, Toledo and Albacete. The investigation continues open.