2023-10-04 18:30:00
These types of thefts have become frequent on the peninsula. The Civil Guard has discovered several “modes of operation” of these thieves who pretend to have a breakdown or to help victims or to hijack vehicles. In 2022, a total of 30,982 vehicle thefts took place in Spain, according to data from the Ministry of the Interior, representing an increase of 17.3% compared to the previous year. In detail, these flights increased by 20.4% in Catalonia and 46.3% in the Balearic Islands during the year 2022, reports El Cierre Digital.
In 2022, for the third year in a row, the most stolen cars were the Seat Ibiza, the Seat León and the Volkswagen Golf, according to a report from the insurance comparator HelloSafe. The interest of criminals in these three cars is explained by the fact that their parts are the most in demand on the black market for spare parts, comments the insurance association Unespa, adding that these parts are often found in Morocco and the Algeria, and Eastern Europe.
Read: Dismantling of a network of robbers targeting MREs on Spanish roads
Vehicle theft occurs especially during vacation periods when a significant number of Moroccans from Europe cross the peninsula to return to Morocco (Operation Marhaba). Thieves operate in several ways. At the toll booth, for example, they cause a puncture in their victim’s car and then pretend to help in order to rob them or take the vehicle. Others position a tow truck at strategic points while waiting for a user to request their services to take action.
The criminals compete in ingenuity. They go so far as to hack into the security system of their victim’s vehicle to steal it. The Civil Guard arrested four men aged between 30 and 68 in Valencia on Tuesday for their involvement in the theft of high-end vehicles throughout Spain. They are accused of crimes of belonging to a criminal organization, falsification of documents, etc. They were arrested while trying to steal three vehicles worth a total of 1,150,000 euros.
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