Burglary gang busted

GUARDIA Civil in Crevillente have arrested five people who were allegedly behind a string of burglaries in the municipality and surrounding areas.

Break-ins in the area had increased considerably between January and March, although the offences did not initially seem connected, explained a force spokesman.

They were committed indiscriminately in rural homes, warehouses and vehicles.

Sometimes the thieves stole goods of such little value that the damage caused to gain entry was more costly, causing growing anger among residents.

The suspects lived in a chalet in the rural district of Barrosa, which officers searched.

They confiscated computer equipment, the vehicle allegedly used for the crimes, six tropical birds and three French lop rabbits worth a total of over €80,000.

The birds had been stolen in December 2018 from a rural house in La Hoya in Elche and their owners, who had put up posters around the area afterwards, were extremely excited to learn they had been recovered, said the spokesman.

Inside the suspects’ house was a hiding place built underneath the swimming pool, which was used as a provisional bedroom to hide the gang members for a while after committing a break-in, if they suspected they had been identified or followed by victims or police.

The suspects are three men, aged 36, 38 and 65, and two women, 28 and 37, all of them Spanish.

They are charged with a total of 28 property crimes as well as belonging to a criminal organisation.

One of the men allegedly received the stolen goods to sell them on as second-hand goods, as well as providing cover for the other members when they were in the house if a possible police presence had been detected.

Three of them have been jailed on remand while the other two were granted conditional release until their trial.