The Guardia Civil is investigating five people for their alleged relationship with the theft of 300 kilograms of carob beans in the Vega Baja, accused of three alleged crimes of theft and one of belonging to a criminal group.
At the beginning of this month, the Guardia Civil learned of an increase in the number of robberies in agricultural exploitations in this area, for which reason its ROCA Team (Specialised Team against Rural Robberies) of the Torrevieja Guardia Civil, in collaboration with the Albatera Local Police, began a series of investigations to clarify these criminal acts.
On July 6, four people were surprised stealing carob beans from a farm in Albatera, reports the Guardia Civil.
The agents investigated the alleged perpetrators -two men and two women, between 26 and 42 years of age and of different nationalities- and after taking the necessary steps, the stolen fruits were returned to their rightful owner.
Three days later, on July 9, when a device was being carried out to prevent robberies in farms in Rojales, a Guardia Civil patrol from Almoradí surprised an individual stealing carob beans.
The agents managed to recover the fruits and identify the alleged perpetrator, a 48-year-old man.
After analysing the evidence obtained, the agents had sufficient evidence that the people investigated were part of a criminal group specialising in the theft of fruit from farms in Vega Baja del Segura.
The gang, they point out, was perfectly structured, and while some of the members studied the terrain, others carried out the thefts, and finally others sold the merchandise, subsequently distributing the profits.
The five investigated have been charged with three alleged crimes of theft on agricultural farms in Albatera, Almoradí and Rojales, in addition to the crime of belonging to a criminal group.
300 kilos of carobs have also been recovered and returned to their rightful owners.
Of all the investigations carried out, the Guard and Instruction Courts of Orihuela and Torrevieja have been informed.
