Naples: 12 thieves arrested for robbing tourists of luxury watches in Spain
Facebook
Twitter
Flipboard
Send
Reddit
Linkedin
Messenger
Telegram
VK
Bluesky
Threads
Whatsapp
Spain's National Police, with Italy and Europol, have arrested in Naples 12 members of a gang that robbed tourists of luxury watches in Marbella, Barcelona and Ibiza.
Spain's National Police have led an international operation against the theft of high-end watches, which has culminated in the arrest of 12 people in Naples, in southern Italy. Those detained are part of criminal groups specialising in violently attacking tourists in some of Spain's main tourist hotspots.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
The operation, carried out in cooperation with the Italian authorities and coordinated by Europol, forms part of a wider investigation that has already led to the arrest of 31 people in different European countries, underlining the cross-border nature of this type of crime.
Highly organised, specialist gangs
According to the investigation, the detainees belong to Neapolitan criminal groups known as 'paranzas', dedicated to stealing luxury watches in public spaces. These gangs operated mainly in tourist destinations such as Marbella, Malaga, Barcelona, Ibiza and Palma de Mallorca.
The groups, usually made up of between three and five members, had a clearly defined structure. They planned their trips to Spain using false documents and organised their logistics with vehicles brought from Italy or hired once they arrived.
Once in Spanish territory, they selected their victims – usually tourists or people with high purchasing power – in places such as hotels, restaurants, beaches or upmarket shopping areas. After monitoring their movements for hours, they carried out swift, violent robberies, yanking the watches from their victims' wrists before fleeing on motorbikes or scooters.
A growing criminal phenomenon in Europe
Authorities stress that the rising value of luxury watches on the international market has driven the spread of this type of crime in several European countries.
In response, Spain and Italy launched a joint operation to intervene directly in Naples, the home city of many of those involved, and to execute simultaneously the judicial warrants issued by Spanish courts.
Go to accessibility shortcuts Share CommentsRead more
Russia launches nearly 300 drones at Ukraine as 528 bodies of Ukrainian soldiers are returned
Council of Europe reinterprets migrant rights, Meloni champions 'Italian model'
Search continues for bodies of Italian divers who died in Maldives
Схожі новини
Came to US with $950: Indian-origin gas station owner becomes first Indian-American elected to this Texas city council
Quote of the day by Queen Elizabeth: “Over the years, those who have seemed to me to be the most happy, contented and fulfilled have always been the people who have lived the most outgoing and unselfish lives.”
13-match wait, Rs 18 crore Pathirana gets injured after bowling 8 balls
