The Guardia Civil has broken up a criminal cell in the Vega Baja area that they think is behind a string of phone thefts that were used to perpetrate bank fraud. The inquiry led to the arrest of two young males, 18 and 26 years old, and the identification of a third, 22 years old, as the people who allegedly committed three violent robberies, four thefts, six bank frauds, and one count of being a member of a criminal organisation.
The crimes, which have been investigated, happened in the cities of Cox and Redován and hurt people who lived in the provinces of Alicante, Albacete, and Murcia. Investigators say that the group used the Grindr dating apps to get in touch with the victims, set up encounters, and steal their phones.
A victim told police on January 11th that their phone had been stolen, which started the inquiry. After the robbery, the thieves were able to make unauthorised bank withdrawals of €1,600 using the gadget.
This is how the group stole cell phones and committed bank fraud
The Guardia Civil’s Investigation Unit in Callosa de Segura found that criminals were acting in a consistent way. The people involved used dating apps to get in touch with their victims and set up meetings in different places in Cox or Redován.
Once they got there, they would beg for the phone, saying that their own battery had failed or that they needed to make an important call. Then, when someone wasn’t paying attention or even pushed them, they would take the device and run away swiftly.
The following stage was easier because the phones were unlocked. The suspects quickly got into the victims’ banking apps and conducted transfers, payments with mobile payment providers, or cash withdrawals at ATMs, often on the same night.
Seven crimes happened between January and March
The inquiry has so far found that this group is connected to seven incidents that happened between January and March of this year. The victims are all different ages and types of people, but they all have the same way of doing things as the people who are accused of the crimes.
The examination found that the gang worked together in an organised way, with distinct duties for each member. One of the members was in charge of getting in touch with the victims and taking their phones, another helped them get away, and a third was in charge of the money made from the fake transactions.
While identifying one of the suspects, police found one of the stolen cell phones. This revelation helped them figure out who one of the victims was and made the Guardia Civil’s inquiry stronger.
On March 10th, the operation ended with the arrest of two of the suspects in Cox. The third suspect was already in jail for various property crimes, so the police told the right court about it.
The people who were arrested have been taken to the Court of First Instance of Orihuela. The court has ordered that both of them be released with safety measures while the case is being settled.
The Guardia Civil says that individuals should be very careful when meeting new people and that they should protect their phones, especially if they have banking apps or personal information on them.
