The thieves who were stealing copper from the wind turbines of Catalonia fall

BarcelonaThey would come to Catalonia, arrive at a wind farm, steal the copper from the turbines, and flee the country quickly. This was the method of a criminal group dismantled by the Mossos d'Esquadra with four arrests of people between 32 and 41 years old who had allegedly committed twelve robberies, eight of which were in the regions of Tarragona and Lleida —the remaining ones were in the Valencian Community and Aragon—. The head of the Criminal Investigation Division (DIC) of Camp de Tarragona, Marc Bayón, expressed surprise because none of the four detainees had a criminal record in the country and added that it had been "very difficult to tackle" this gang coming from Eastern Europe. Three of the four detainees have already been remanded in custody.

This gang had everything planned and organized, to the point that one of the detainees —the one who has not been remanded in custody, according to police sources— was the manager of a waste management facility in Sant Vicenç dels Horts, which facilitated the exit of the material to the legal market. Last Wednesday, the officers arrested three people near Martorell while they were traveling in a vehicle loaded with almost 500 kilos of copper to sell it. Simultaneously, the investigators were inspecting the recycling center in Sant Vicenç dels Horts, where its owner was also arrested for a crime of receiving stolen goods.

"We are talking about a group that had operational capabilities to travel hundreds of kilometers in one night," explained Bayón. The investigation lasted three months and allowed the detainees to be linked to twelve robberies committed in Ribera d'Ebre (1), Vandellòs (5), Vallbona de les Monges (2), Castelló (3), and Zaragoza (1). In the case of the Vandellòs facilities, the five robberies took place in less than a month. The criminal gang acted in parks located in remote and very scattered areas and would change vehicles to avoid being detected.

Among the investigated events, the theft of 1,050 meters of copper cable at a wind farm in the Ribera d'Ebre stands out, valued at approximately 100,000 euros. In total, the economic impact of these robberies far exceeds the value of the stolen material, as the companies have had to assume the costs derived from replacing the stolen elements, repairing the damage caused, hiring extraordinary surveillance services, and implementing new security measures. To all this must be added the losses derived from the interruption of energy production. The total economic expenditure amounts to half a million euros.

For example, in one of the affected facilities, the provisional economic valuation of the damages reaches 240,000 euros. Of this amount, about 90,000 euros correspond to the repair and replacement work of the affected elements, while nearly 150,000 euros derive from the inability to produce energy during the infrastructure recovery period.

The figure of the receiver

Beyond the thefts, Bayón highlighted the importance of locating the habitual receiving point for the stolen material. According to the evidence gathered, the group members recurrently traveled to the recycling center in Sant Vicenç dels Horts after committing the robberies. The head of the DIC of Camp de Tarragona stated that up to eight trips have been confirmed, some direct from Castellón, to this establishment. "We are talking about someone who was fully aware of the illicit origin of the material," he commented regarding the establishment's owner, adding that he would open outside of business hours only for the criminal group. In fact, the search of the recycling center revealed further administrative irregularities.

For the moment, however, the company remains open, although the Mossos do not rule out that it may end up closed as the administrative investigation progresses. Recycling centers can buy copper from anyone who wishes to sell it, but they must collect the seller's basic details, such as their identification document or car license plate. Copper has been a highly prized material for thieves in recent months, as its price is rising, making robberies more attractive. Some of the most affected entities are Renfe and Adif, due to constant thefts on train tracks, although, as has been proven in this case, private companies are also often victims of robberies. The investigation, which has had the collaboration of the Civil Guard, remains open and further arrests are not ruled out.