The Guardia Civil has arrested six people accused of being members of a criminal group dedicated to committing robberies with force across the provinces of Valencia and Alicante. The suspects targeted residential homes, petrol stations, tobacconists, pharmacies and hospitality establishments. The investigation, which spanned several months, has successfully resolved nearly 30 offences and has led to four of those arrested being remanded in provisional prison.
Dubbed Operation “Tikras”, the investigation began in September 2025 after officers detected a significant spike in thefts across the Oliva and Gandia areas. The spike included motor vehicle thefts and burglaries inside inhabited homes, as well as raids on hospitality venues, pharmacies, petrol stations and tobacconists.
Investigating officers from the Guardia Civil Research Area of Oliva-Gandia conducted a meticulous analysis of the site inspections and observed clear, common patterns. The gang used a specific modus operandi: they would first steal motor vehicles, keep them hidden for a few days to avoid police detection, and then use those same vehicles to carry out their commercial and residential raids before abandoning them.
By analysing security camera footage from various shops and traffic surveillance recordings across different municipalities in the La Safor region, officers tracked the movements of the vehicles and identified several suspects. Some of those involved already had criminal records and were linked to a criminal network that had operated in La Safor for years.
Once their addresses were located, the Guardia Civil carried out four property searches in Gandia, Almoines and Les Palmeres. The operation concluded with the arrest of five men aged between 20 and 43 and one 30-year-old woman. One of the men was also found to have two active court search and arrest orders against him.
During the searches, officers seized a pen gun, an unregistered pistol, ammunition, and two prohibited knives. They also uncovered more than 105 grams of cocaine, marijuana, hashish, LSD, methamphetamine, ecstasy pills and amphetamines, alongside more than 2,700 euro in cash.
