The National Police have arrested two men, of North African origin aged 43 and 44, in connection with 12 thefts committed between late March and early May in various commercial car parks in Palma.
According to sources close to the investigation, the suspects targeted their victims while they were loading their shopping into their cars.
Most of the robberies took place on the Son Malferit industrial estate and in the Es Coll d’en Rabassa shopping complex, as well as in Son Morro and in a petrol station in Foners, according to an “extensive investigation.”
According to the police, the suspects would pounce on their victims to steal unattended handbags and other items while the suspects were otherwise occupied loading up the car.
On one occasion, they offered to help a woman with her shopping and in the process, robbed her of two mobile phones.
The victims have mostly been middle-aged women, although, according to the police, on one occasion they stole a phone from a foreign man using the same method.
The two suspects are well known to the police and between the two of them have been arrested on at least 36 different occasions for various offences.