Officers from the Policía Nacional have arrested two foreign individuals, aged 29 and 32, accused of thefts from vehicles using central-locking, signal inhibitors.

Once charged they were released pending trial but with a restraining order prohibiting them from entering the province of Málaga.

The suspects allegedly targeted car parks in the city centre waiting for foreigners with rental cars to park. Using the inhibitors they prevented the central locking from operating unbeknown to the victims. When they left the parking area, the thieves would move in to steal their luggage, tablets, laptops and mobile phones.

The suspects allegedly tracked their victims on their day of arrival or departure, knowing that these moments would be when the cars would have valuables inside.

The police staked out these public-parking areas in order to identify the person or persons behind the cases of theft. They soon identified the vehicle being used by the thieves, who were hiding inside with the engine and lights off.

Moving in, they arrested them. They also examined the CCTV footage from previous days when thefts had taken place and watched how the men transferred the stolen items from one parking level to another.

Editorial comment: whilst the restraining order keeps them out of Málaga, we hope that they have had their passports confiscated so that they can’t leave the country.

(News: City & Metropolitan Area, Costa del Sol, Malaga, Andalucia)

Keywords: Public Parking, Signal Inhibitors, Central Locking, Foreign Victims, Rental Cars, Luggage, CCTV

news, andalucia, malaga, costa del sol, city & metropolitan area, public parking, signal inhibitors, central locking, foreign victims, rental cars, luggage, cctv