Guardia Civil detain violent gang

Seven people were arrested by Guardia Civil and 14 more charged for their alleged involvement with a gang operating throughout Spain thought to have stolen more than €8.5 million worth of goods.

They have since been remanded in prison charged with numerous violent robberies, car theft, document falsification, receiving stolen goods and money laundering, amongst other crimes.

They specialized in holding up lorries carrying goods and breaking into banks and other businesses, especially mobile phone and luxury stores, by making holes in walls from neighbouring premises.

They were able to disable even the most sophisticated alarms and specialized in busting open safes.

The leader was a well-known thief based in Madrid, and to hold-up lorries they would use high-range stolen cars which they would later burn.

In one case, they allegedly intercepted a lorry-load of computer equipment and forced the driver into a car boot at gunpoint.