20 arrests as police tackle alleged Murcia robbery gang

OPERATION ‘Jerbos’ has resulted in the arrest of 20 people accused of being members of a criminal organisation believed to be responsible for more than 35 burglaries from homes and industrial buildings in the provinces of Murcia, Almeria and Granada.
It is believed the gang also carried out an attempted robbery in the church of Santiago de Almeria, where they intended to seize items commissioned by a collector of religious images and other valuables.
The network had skilled professionals in various crime areas, including a Bulgarian woman who was hired to open safes and security doors, say officers. It is believed they had informants providing information on places to rob. One such case was where the home of a Murcia businessman was broken into, where a significant amount of jewellery, money and a gun were stolen. It is believed that an employer had given information about the location of the safe.
During the police search of 13 properties in Murcia and Almeria, they found materials to open safes, radio transmitters, balaclavas and gloves, fake ID, stolen vehicles, computer equipment, jewellery and cash.