The Guardia Civil has arrested three Chilean men suspected of committing a wave of burglaries and forging documents as members of a criminal gang. Following their arrest, the judicial authorities ordered their detention. These three arrests are the result of Operation Ceviche, which was launched after several robberies in Calvia and Andratx, where, according to the armed forces, a common pattern was identified.
In all of the robberies, which took place in the afternoon, the alleged suspects gained access to the houses by breaking windows or climbing the facades and stole valuable personal belongings while the residents were away. In some cases, the suspects even acted while the owners were in the home. Specifically, one of the robberies took place in Palma, where a mother and her ten-year-old daughter had to flee their home after surprising the thieves.
The investigation revealed that the robberies had spread to other locations on the island, leading to the identification of a highly specialised gang. In one of the robberies, the suspects were caught in the act, which hastened their escape from Mallorca.
In coordination with the authorities at the port of Valencia, the Guardia Civil was able to intercept the alleged perpetrators on a ferry to Valencia. Jewellery, watches and cash worth around 300,000 euros were found in their vehicle.
A frequency jammer was also found among the items they were carrying. According to the investigation, those arrested belong to the South American criminal organisation ‘Lanzas Chilenos’, a travelling organisation that specialises in committing several robberies within a matter of minutes.