TWO alleged members of a “professional” robbery gang have been arrested in Marbella after raiding at least nine tourist flats.
The pair nicked items worth over £550,000 while tourists were outside their homes, Spain’s National Police said.
Policia.esThe two members of a ‘professional’ robbery gang arrested in Marbella[/caption]
GettyA picturesque narrow street with blue flower pots on the walls of houses in old town[/caption]
The force said the men disguised themselves as tourists to “blend in with their surroundings” and avoid raising suspicions while breaking into rentals.
During other burglaries, they were spotted wearing masks and caps to avoid being identified on security cameras.
The pair are accused of carrying out at least nine night-time robberies in the popular southern Spanish city, police said.
The force added their haul could be worth over £550,000.
Their loot includes jewellery, luxury watches, electronic devices and cash.
They allegedly used a well-known technique to open doors, which involves inserting a sheet of flexible plastic between the frame and the lock’s hatch.
During the investigation, local police revealed that the suspects targeted tourist blocks.
They would reportedly wait for tourists to leave the properties before breaking in.
Investigators said they may have used more sophisticated methods, such as “bumping” or “impressioning” – as some victims said they locked the door and found no signs of forced entry upon their return.
They scoped out the properties, police said, to determine when tenants or tourists were least likely to be inside.
Once inside the homes, the thieves took precautions to avoid leaving fingerprints or traces, police added.
The two suspects have been remanded in custody, and further investigations are underway.
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