Two men have been arrested by the Guardia Civil in the Murcia region after allegedly stealing more than half a tonne of mandarins from an agricultural property in Campos del Río and attempting to flee from a police checkpoint.
The arrests were made as part of ongoing operations aimed at preventing thefts from farms and agricultural holdings across the region.
According to the Guardia Civil, the incident occurred last week while officers were carrying out a preventive public safety operation on the outskirts of Campos del Río. During the checkpoint, officers stopped a van carrying a large load of mandarins.
When the officers attempted to identify the occupants and inspect the vehicle, the two men allegedly tried to evade the control. The driver abruptly reversed the van in an attempt to escape, colliding with the Guardia Civil patrol car and causing damage to the official vehicle.
Unable to flee in the van, the suspects abandoned the vehicle at the checkpoint and attempted to escape on foot. However, they were quickly located and detained by officers involved in the operation.
During the intervention, several Guardia Civil officers sustained injuries and required medical attention.
Following the arrests, officers recovered more than 500 kilograms of mandarins that had reportedly just been stolen from a nearby farm. Investigators also discovered that the suspects had attempted to conceal the rear licence plate of the van with a garbage bag in an effort to avoid identification.
The two detainees are described as experienced offenders with extensive criminal records. They are suspected of multiple offences including theft, resisting and disobeying law enforcement officers, document falsification, criminal damage, and offences against road safety.
The recovered fruit has since been returned to its rightful owner while the suspects have been placed at the disposal of judicial authorities.
