Civil Guard officers have arrested ten people for seven alleged robberies at the homes of Ukrainian refugees in the provinces of Alicante and Murcia. Money and valuables worth 1.2 million euros were seized, including a stamp collection valued at around half a million euros, jewellery and computers. The detainees, of Russian and Ukrainian nationality, targeted the victims because they usually bring all their savings and valuables with them when fleeing the war-torn country. The operation began after a series of robberies in Torrevieja and Orihuela Costa.
The police arrested ten suspects, seizing cash, valuables, and weapons from them. The criminal ring came onto the radar of law enforcement last summer after the first reports emerged of robberies of the homes of Ukrainian refugees on Spain’s Mediterranean coast.
The modus operandi of the group involved careful planning and study of the daily routines of potential victims to make sure nobody was home during the raid. The suspects then used lockpicks and other tools to break into the homes they had scoped out, “without causing damage and leaving hardly any traces,” the police noted.
The gang is suspected of using trackers placed on victims’ vehicles to “study their routines” and determine when they were not at home for lengthy periods of time.
Police said they had arrested seven Ukrainian nationals as part of the investigation and three Russians – a couple and their adult son providing ‘logistical support’ for the robbers, including driving the team itself and the items stolen during the robberies. Officer have not ruled out uncovering more victims and making more arrests.
Spain has welcomed 160,000 Ukrainian refugees, who have been granted temporary status protection after fleeing their war-torn country.