Spain’s Civil Guard and National Police have detained a group of four Belarusian citizens involved in car thefts in the provinces of Alicante and Valencia, local media reported citing law enforcement authorities.
The investigation began in October last year, when police discovered a vehicle with fake license plates in one of the towns. Authorities also recorded an increase in car thefts in Alicante.
During the investigation, officers identified a group of four Belarusian nationals living in Benidorm and Llíria. The suspects used advanced technical tools to steal vehicles.
First, the thieves installed GPS trackers on cars they planned to steal later, monitoring their movements. To disable alarm systems, they used signal jammers for specific frequencies. Various electronic methods were used to unlock vehicles. After the theft, the cars were moved to secluded locations, where they remained parked for several weeks to “cool off.”
The group then “legalized” the vehicles by altering vehicle identification numbers (VINs) and forging identification stickers. The cars were subsequently provided with documents issued in other countries. At the final stage, drivers were hired to transport the stolen vehicles to France, where they were sold as legitimate.
Searches at the suspects’ residences were carried out in early February at an apartment in Benidorm, a villa in Llíria and a rented warehouse.
During the raids, officers seized a machine for stamping vehicle identification numbers, electronic car-breaking devices, fake license plates, forged vehicle documents, a device for cloning and coding keys, GPS tracking devices, frequency jammers, numerous key blades and paint used to alter VIN numbers. Eight previously stolen vehicles were also recovered.
The suspects, aged between 40 and 50, have prior convictions. They have been charged with car theft, document forgery and participation in a criminal group. By court decision, they have been placed in pre-trial detention.
