Joint Operation Leads to Four Arrests

The Mossos d'Esquadra and Guardia Civil have dismantled a criminal group linked to 72 break-ins at businesses across Catalonia, Aragon and the Valencian Community. The joint operation, conducted on 1 September 2026, resulted in the arrest of four men aged between 25 and 53 in Barcelona and Sant Boi de Llobregat. According to the Ministry of the Interior, the suspects are accused of carrying out forced-entry robberies between October 2025 and July 2026, targeting offices to steal mobile phones, computers and tablets. The total value of the stolen IT equipment is estimated at nearly €700,000.

Widespread Crimes Across Seven Provinces

The break-ins occurred in multiple towns across seven provinces: Lleida (13 incidents), Barcelona (23), Girona (6), Tarragona (11), Huesca (9), Zaragoza (7) and Castellón (2). The investigation, named Operation SISROB-NOTEBOOK, was led by a joint team comprising the Territorial Judicial Police Unit of the Guardia Civil in Barbastro, the Judicial Police Unit of Huesca, and the Asset Group of the Territorial Investigation Unit of Ponent under the Mossos d'Esquadra’s Lleida division.

The operation has clarified 72 counts of theft with force, four counts of document forgery and one count of membership in an organised criminal group.

Methodical and Mobile Criminal Network

The gang operated with high mobility and precision, typically using at least three or four members per incident. Two or three would enter businesses at night after forcing doors, while another acted as a lookout from a rented vehicle registered under false identities. The suspects wore full-face coverings during the crimes to avoid identification. Their swift and targeted execution suggests prior knowledge of building access points and vulnerabilities. Third parties were allegedly used to rapidly dispose of stolen goods. The suspects appeared before the Court of Instruction No. 1 in Monzón (Huesca), where they were released pending further investigation under precautionary measures.

Primary sources: govern.cat. Reported by reusdigital.cat, Diari de Girona, L'Empordà, lavanguardia.com, infobae.com, ultimahora.es, À Punt NTC, eb.guardiacivil.es, Betevé, Diari de Tarragona.