The Civil Guard of the Region of Murcia has developed the operation ‘Antonello’, an investigation initiated last summer to clarify a series of robberies in establishments in the Mar Menor region, which has recently culminated with the arrest, in Cabo de Palos (Cartagena), of an experienced criminal as the alleged perpetrator of the crimes of robbery with violence and intimidation (2), vehicle theft (5), robbery with force (8), fraud (5), theft (4), crime against road safety for driving without a licence and other crimes against property in degree of attempt.
As reported by sources of the Armed Institute in a statement, Guardia Civil has recovered four vehicles that have been placed at the disposal of the judicial authority along with the arrested person, who was being sought by various courts in the region, so he has been imprisoned.
The investigation began when the Guardia Civil became aware of a series of robberies, committed in catering establishments on the coast of the Mar Menor, which had certain coincidences in terms of the ‘modus operandi’ and the physical description of the perpetrator.
In each of the crime scenes, the investigators gathered the necessary evidence, which allowed them to detect the existence of a vehicle, which had been seen in the vicinity of several of the assaulted businesses, whose number plate did not correspond with the make and model of the car.
The investigations carried out revealed that the car had been stolen from a renting establishment, linking this first investigation to other enquiries that were being carried out into the theft of vehicles from various car rental companies.
In one of these robberies, which took place in the Murcian district of Los Martínez del Puerto, the suspect even intimidated the employee in order to flee in the car, all of which had generated a certain amount of social alarm in the sector.
In this way, and once his identity was known, it was found that he was being sought by various courts in the region for imprisonment for cases pending before the courts.
The Benemérita has assured that as a result of his extensive criminal background, the suspect maintained strict security and self-protection measures to avoid arrest, such as habitually changing his residence, staying temporarily in the homes of his personal circle.
While the search operations were being maintained, the civil guards recovered up to four vehicles that appeared in different parts of the municipality of Cartagena, curiously, parked in public car parks, either hospital or other, where he left them until they were needed, so that, on the one hand, they did not attract too much attention and, on the other hand, allowed him easy access to the Cartagena neighbourhood of Lo Campano, where he used to travel by electric scooter.
Having tightened the siege on his movements, the agents managed to intercept him when he was travelling in a recently stolen car, which he left abandoned on the spot when he was caught, to flee on foot and avoid arrest. It so happens that those responsible for the rental company from which the car was stolen had not yet noticed the theft.
These continuous «evasive and elusive» manoeuvres by the subject came to an end when the agents located him while he was shopping in a supermarket in Cabo de Palos, at which point he was arrested.
Operation ‘Antonello’ has culminated in the clarification of about thirty crimes, among which are two robberies with violence and intimidation, five thefts of vehicles, eight robberies with force, five frauds, four thefts, crime against road safety for driving without a license and other crimes against property in degree of attempt.
The detainee is a 25 year old male, Spanish and resident of Cartagena, the recovered vehicles and the proceedings have been placed at the disposal of the Court of Instruction of Cartagena, being ordered his imprisonment.