The National Police have arrested seven people in various towns in the province of Alicante, involved in the theft of a vehicle on a highway in Elche. The events occurred in mid-December, when the victim, a 45-year-old man, was forced to stop his car on the A-7 by two vehicles that appeared to be police cars.

The incident took place on December 11 around 3:30 AM, near the Elche-Crevillent exit. The assailants blocked the car's path and forced the driver out. Once outside, between six and seven individuals, some wearing balaclavas, stole his mobile phone, documentation, bank cards, and 2,000 euros in cash. Two of the thieves drove off with the car, which contained a laptop, work tools, and the victim's clothes.

The victim was left stranded on the highway and had to walk until he reached the Nacional 340, which connects Elche and Crevillent, where he received assistance from road maintenance personnel who took him to the police station. There, he reported the robbery, thus initiating an investigation by the Specialized and Violent Crime Unit (UDEV) of the Elche Police Station.

The stolen vehicle was found destroyed a day later in Abarán, Murcia. The investigation revealed that one of the cars used in the robbery had been rented from a car rental company near Alicante-Elche Airport. This led to the discovery of a network dedicated to renting cars to commit crimes, with a hierarchical structure.

Finally, the National Police operation culminated in four arrests in Elche, one in Santa Pola, another in Orihuela Costa, and a seventh in Torrevieja. The detainees, aged between 23 and 54 years, are accused of robbery with violence and impersonation of public officials. In one of the cases, an additional charge of violating the Immigration Law was added, and one of the arrested individuals has almost 150 prior offenses.