Ten Romanians arrested in Spain for attacking moving lorries to steal luxury appliances
A joint operation by Spanish and Romanian police has resulted in the arrest of ten Romanian citizens accused of attacking lorries and articulated lorries in motion on motorways in western Europe.
Ten Romanians arrested in Spain for attacking moving lorries to steal luxury appliances
Ten Romanian citizens have been arrested in Spain following a joint operation between Iberian and Romanian police. The detainees are accused of attacking lorries and articulated lorries in motion on motorways in western Europe. In Spain alone, the damages amounted to nearly half a million euros.
According to Digi24, only in Spanish territory were eleven thefts of this type committed, with an estimated loss of 418,000 euros. The same criminals would have also acted in Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom and France.
The technique used by the thieves is known among officers as the "surfer method". The offenders would identify a target lorry, pursue it on the motorway and slow it down by surrounding it with their own vehicles. When they verified that there were no witnesses, a van with several accomplices would position itself just behind the articulated lorry, travel at the same speed and, without stopping, cut the seals on the doors to access the interior and remove the goods. They would subsequently disappear without trace.
The lorry drivers were unaware of the theft until they reached their destination. The thieves specialised in stealing appliances, and were apprehended when they attempted to sell the stolen items, including several high-end televisions.
The raids were carried out in the city of Toledo, where the ten Romanians were held. Police sources indicate that one of those arrested had a search warrant issued by the Romanian authorities.
Source: Digi24