This criminal organization, composed of four individuals, two of whom are women, traveled throughout Spain, affecting jewelers in various provinces such as Murcia, Palencia, València, Almería, Albacete, Badajoz, Asturias, Logroño, Alicante, Granada, Castellón, and Seville. At least 21 robberies have been clarified thanks to the collaboration with the Italian Polizia di Stato.
Their modus operandi was sophisticated and discreet. Two women would enter a jewelry store and ask to see numerous pieces, such as rings, necklaces, and earrings. While the clerk displayed the jewelry on a 'jewelry blanket', one of the thieves would place her bag on the counter. Taking advantage of any distraction from the salesperson, they would discreetly steal a piece or even an entire blanket, camouflaging it with a scarf. They avoided leaving fingerprints and left without buying anything, like regular customers.
The Police stated that it was not easy to find the itinerant group of thieves. They did not always appear with the same appearance in video recordings, as they disguised their dimensions with different clothing.
These Italian theft cells are known for their itinerancy, traveling across Europe and considering Spain one of their main operational areas. The National Police has been monitoring this type of crime since 2012, maintaining a constant communication channel with Italian authorities. The investigation intensified after a theft in Zaragoza led to the arrest of an Italian woman, who bore similarities to images captured by security cameras in the affected establishments.
To avoid detection, the thieves did not stay in hotels in Spain, used different vehicles and phones on each trip, and returned to Italy after a week of activity, carrying out robberies hundreds of kilometers from their overnight stays. The arrest of the four members occurred on March 31, one day after they were detected in Palencia. All detainees are currently in prison, and the operation has been named "Italian Job" by the National Police.
