For months, businesses in Tenerife lived under the threat of nightly assaults by a gang that acted swiftly, covering their faces and using knives, sledgehammers, and stun devices before disappearing. The Civil Guard operation has put an end to this activity, clearing 34 crimes and leading to the provisional imprisonment of three of the eight arrested.
The arrests were expedited when agents detected the group was allegedly preparing for a new heist. The investigation, initiated approximately four months ago, focused on an increase in violent robberies at island establishments, where gang members concealed their faces and used large bladed weapons, blunt objects, and stun devices to intimidate staff.
The detainees are accused of robbery with violence and intimidation, burglary, and motor vehicle theft. The group used rental vehicles or previously stolen cars, frequently changing license plates to hinder police tracking. They conducted reconnaissance before committing assaults and abandoned the vehicles in "cooling-off zones" to avoid immediate links to the crimes.
The economic impact of the robberies is estimated at over 160,000 euros. The Civil Guard estimates the value of stolen goods, including safes, cash, jewelry, and tobacco, at more than 60,000 euros. Damages to establishments are estimated to exceed 100,000 euros.
The operation concluded with four court-authorized home searches. During these searches, agents seized a Local Police identification badge, a replica submachine gun, brass knuckles, stun devices, sledgehammers, rental car keys, and a significant quantity of tobacco and jewelry, reinforcing the investigators' suspicions.
