Image of a church
– NATIONAL POLICE
Agents of the National Police have arrested two men, aged 22 and 23, as alleged perpetrators of several burglaries carried out in different churches belonging to the town of Elche (Alicante), according to sources of the aforementioned Corps in a statement.
As a result of two complaints lodged by the parish administrators of Elche, the agents were able to ascertain that two churches in the Elche districts of La Hoya and El Altet had been robbed in the same morning and at very close hours,
Apparently, the thieves had gained access to both churches using the same modus operandi. Thus, they forced the locks on the doors, gained access to the interior and stole the money deposited in the sacristies.
In one of the robberies, the perpetrators also stole jewellery from the statue of a saint, including a set of gold earrings and several gold rings worth approximately 2,000 euros.
Due to these facts, agents from the Judicial Police Brigade of the Elche Police Station took charge of the case and began an investigation focused on clarifying the thefts carried out in religious temples.
After an arduous investigation, the agents managed to identify two men in the municipality of Murcia. For this reason, they organised a police operation in which they travelled to the town of Murcia and made the arrest of those under investigation.
Both detainees, of Spanish nationality, were part of a criminal network specialising in the commission of burglaries in religious temples in the Region of Murcia and the southern area of Alicante.
These people have a long police record. In fact, in a previous investigation, they had already been charged with nearly 20 robbery offences committed in the past year.
After making a statement at police headquarters, one of the detainees was released pending a court appearance and the other was placed at the disposal of the Murcia Magistrate’s Court.