The National Police have arrested three men accused of belonging to a criminal group dedicated to stealing electric scooters and bicycles parked in designated areas at gyms, shopping centers, transport stations, or even residential communities in the Madrid town of Fuenlabrada.
The group's leader received requests from citizens to carry out thefts, orchestrating the necessary actions. Investigations began last May when police became aware of several bicycle and scooter thefts in Fuenlabrada, all following the same modus operandi: acting within minutes in public areas during daylight hours.
The method involved the group leader receiving calls from individuals requesting a specific bicycle or scooter they had seen. Subsequently, two other men would cut the chains securing the vehicles with bolt cutters hidden in backpacks or even their pants, later discarding them in nearby bushes. The stolen vehicles were then taken to a premises managed by the criminal group's leader for sale. On one occasion, a victim noticed their bicycle, stolen from their gym, displayed in the shop window of one of these establishments.
On June 8, a search was conducted of the premises where all stolen items were kept, and they were returned to their rightful owners. Three individuals were arrested as alleged perpetrators of 11 counts of theft and receiving stolen goods.
In a parallel operation, another suspect was arrested who used second-hand online marketplaces to contact victims and steal items after gaining their trust. This suspect had committed up to four continuous property offenses.
In total, across both operations, four people have been arrested and 16 criminal offenses have been solved.
