La Guardia Civil has arrested seven people, comprising six men and one woman aged between 16 and 50, as suspected perpetrators of 13 robberies involving violence and the theft of gold chains from elderly women across various municipalities in the Region of Murcia and the province of Alicante. The operation, named Porcheta, has led to the dismantling of a criminal group based in the Murcian capital and the recovery of five gold chains.
The robberies were reportedly committed in San Javier, Los Alcázares, Fortuna, Las Torres de Cotillas, Murcia, Cartagena and Orihuela in Alicante, according to information provided by the Guardia Civil.
The investigation began in February following reports of two assaults against women in San Javier and in the Murcian hamlet of Sucina. The victims were approached by individuals travelling in a high-end car, from which several suspects emerged to snatch the gold chains worn around their necks.
During the enquiries, officers linked the incidents to other thefts sharing similar characteristics and established that the group was based in Murcia. According to the Guardia Civil, its members targeted elderly women wearing visible jewellery and utilised false documentation to rent vehicles in Alicante, which they used to travel to various locations.
The investigation indicates that the group operated with divided responsibilities: while some members assaulted the victims, others were tasked with selling the jewellery at gold-buying establishments. The Guardia Civil noted that some of the victims, including women in their eighties, suffered serious injuries after being dragged during the assaults.
Those arrested face potential charges of robbery with violence, continuous fraud, offences against road safety and membership of a criminal organisation. The investigation remains open.
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