Four men aged between 26 and 50 have been arrested on suspicion of belonging to a criminal group that burgled residential properties across the provinces of Alicante and Murcia. The suspects allegedly used a technique known as the glue thread method to mark targeted homes and confirm whether occupants were away before breaking in.
The gang is linked to break-ins in the Alicante municipalities of Ibi, Xixona, and Monóvar, as well as the town of Yecla in Murcia. During four searches carried out in the city of Alicante, officers recovered cash, jewellery, gold ingots, branded clothing and accessories, high-end mobile phones, and bottles of premium alcohol.
Officers also seized five vehicles, including four cars and a motorcycle, alongside signal detectors, frequency jammers, and an imitation handgun. A wide variety of specialist lock-picking tools designed for impressioning and bumping techniques were also confiscated, allowing doors to be forced with minimal visible damage.
The operation began in April after the Guardia Civil noticed that several properties across towns in Alicante and Murcia had been marked with thin lines of glue on their doors. Investigations revealed that members of the gang marked multiple flat doors within the same building, stretching glue from the door frame to the door itself.
If the glue line remained unbroken for more than twenty-four hours, indicating that the occupants were likely absent, members of the gang would force the lock cylinder using non-invasive tools. This allowed them to enter without alerting neighbours, with some homeowners only realising they had been targeted after noticing missing items. If a lock proved difficult, the group used more invasive methods, including crowbars and angle grinders, specifically targeting occupied homes containing high-value goods.
To avoid police detection, the group regularly changed the vehicles used during their operations.
The investigation was led by the Property Team of the Judicial Police Unit from the Alicante Command, along with Investigation Areas from the Guardia Civil posts in Ibi and San Juan, supported by Citizen Security Units from Alicante and Torrevieja.
All four suspects were brought before the court in Ibi, where the judge ordered them to be remanded in custody.
