The Guardia Civil have busted a gang operating in the Axarquia (Málaga), specialising in targeting people’s houses, both empty and occupied.

This criminal gang, ten of whom have been arrested, used a double system; if the house had somebody living in it, they would turn up claiming to be police officers in order to case the house to later return as burglars. If on the other hand they found the house to be uninhabited; i.e., an unoccupied 2nd home, they would simply empty it or remain there as squatters. In fact, they would often furnish the homes that they had chosen to occupy with items stolen from other houses.

Police investigators found that some of their number were living illegally in houses in Alcaucín and using them to store stolen goods.

The police consider the gang to be responsible for at least 19 break-ins at rural houses and hostelry establishments. Most of the stolen items were domestic appliances, most of which they later sold on the black market.

(News: Axarquia, Malaga, Andalucia)