The First Section of the Provincial Court will try on January 12 and 13 six defendants accused of belonging to a criminal group, all of them of Romanian nationality, who stole more than 5.3 million euros in jewelry in three jewelry stores in Lanzarote. The Prosecutor's Office requests sentences of eight years in prison for three of the defendants and seven and a half years in prison for the other three, in addition to compensation worth more than 2.6 million euros.
According to the indictment, "due to investigations carried out by the Team against Organized Crime (ECO), dependent on the Central Operative Unit (UCO) of the Judicial Police of the Las Palmas Command, knowledge was gained of the existence of a group of people dedicated to the perpetration of robberies with force in jewelry stores in Lanzarote, of jewelry and watches with high economic value, and their subsequent transfer to Romania for illegal commercialization."
The Public Prosecutor's Office maintains that "the accused persons, concerted among themselves, planned the thefts in three jewelry stores in Lanzarote, by forcing and disabling the alarm systems of the establishments and the subsequent transport of the stolen goods to Romania."
According to the Prosecutor's Office, at the head of this unitary structure, directing and giving orders, was Ovidiu H, who "was in charge of planning the theft, transfer and subsequent commercialization operations of the stolen jewelry."
For this, the Public Prosecutor's Office points out that he had "the outstanding assistance and direct collaboration" of his brother, Cosmin Andrei H., and two other defendants, Engin S. and Ibrahim I., who "perpetrated some or some of the robberies" and "carried out tasks of purchasing necessary material" for them and the "transfer of the stolen merchandise." Likewise, the Prosecutor's Office maintains that he also had "the help and direct collaboration" of Mihaela Gabita B. and Lorena C., "who participated by transferring the stolen jewelry from Lanzarote to Romania."
Three robberies perpetrated by making holes in the walls
The first robbery attributed to this gang took place around 00.30 hours on December 8, 20017, at the Santos Jewelry Store located at number 53 of Avenida de las Playas in Puerto del Carmen, which Engin S. and Cosmin Andrei H. are said to have accessed after making "a hole" through "a side" and "forcing a window" used "as a vent" and with "their faces covered in order not to be identified by the security cameras." There, according to the Prosecutor's Office, they stole 145 watches, 80 rings, 70 pieces of gold jewelry and another 70 of silver, all valued at "about 574,000 euros."
The second robbery occurred on March 24, 2018, around 11 p.m., at the Marvel Jewelry Store, also located on Avenida de las Playas in Puerto del Carmen. According to the indictment, it was perpetrated by Ibrahim I. and Ovidiu H., who also accessed the premises "through a hole" and, once inside, "manipulated the alarm system in order not to be detected" and "fractured some of the displays," taking jewelry worth 41,450.90 euros.
Finally, the third robbery took place in another of the Santos Jewelry Store premises in Puerto del Carmen, located at number 29 of Avenida de las Playas, around 00:25 hours on June 17, 2018. The Prosecutor's Office attributes it to Ovidiu H. Engin S. and Cosmin Andrei H., who accessed the establishment "from the roof" after forcing two doors.
In this case, it is pointed out that they also had "their faces covered" and "disabled the alarm system" and once inside "they seized various jewels and watches that they took from the different displays, most of which had the keys on." The stolen effects were valued by the owner at 4.7 million euros.
Caught with stolen jewelry on a flight and searches in Romania
According to the indictment, the various stolen jewels "were leaving the island in a staggered manner in order not to be discovered, carried by the accused". However, the defendants Ibrahim I. and his wife Mihaela Gabita B, together with Lorena C., were caught when they were trying to leave Lanzarote on June 22 on a flight to Barcelona, in transit to Romania, finding in the luggage of the two women jewelry stolen in the last robbery.
As a consequence of these events, the Investigating Court number 2 of Arrecife authorized searches in the homes of the accused in Romania, where objects stolen in the three robberies were also found, which were recognized by the owners of the jewelry stores. However, although jewelry worth a total of 3.4 million euros was recovered, it is indicated that merchandise valued by experts at 2,073,275.20 euros is pending recovery by the owner of the Santos Jewelry Stores and jewelry worth 37,450.90 euros in the case of those stolen from the Marvel Jewelry Store.
In the case of Ovidiu H., Ibrahim I. Mihaela Gabita B. and Lorena C. were arrested on June 22, 2018, while Engin S. was arrested on August 7 of that year and Cosmin Andrei H. on September 12. All of them were sent to provisional prison after being arrested.
Expulsion from the country when they have served two-thirds of the sentence
The Prosecutor's Office considers that all the accused "were part of a criminal group dedicated to the commission of robberies with force that, despite its stable character, distribution of specific functions and hierarchical character, did not reach the degree of complexity of a criminal organization" and, in addition to accusing them of a crime of robbery with force in things "of special gravity", also considers that they should be convicted of a crime of belonging to a criminal group.
For Ovidiu H, his brother Cosmin Andrei H. and Engin S., the Public Prosecutor's Office requests a total sentence of eight years in prison, six for the continued crime of robbery with force with the aggravating circumstance of disguise. In addition, in the case of Cosmin Andrei H. it is pointed out that the aggravating circumstance of recidivism also occurs. For the crime of belonging to a criminal group, the Prosecutor's Office requests a sentence of two years in prison for the six defendants. However, for Ibrahim I, Mihaela Gabita .B. and Lorena C. requests five years and six months in prison for the crime of robbery with force in things.
However, the Public Prosecutor's Office considers that all the accused represent "a serious threat to public order and security in Spain" and therefore requests that, once they have served two-thirds of the sentence, the prison sentence be replaced by their expulsion from the national territory with a prohibition to enter Spain for five years.
Likewise, the Prosecutor's Office asks that Ovidiu H., Engin S. and Cosmin Andrei H. compensate the owner of the Joyería Los Santos with 574,000 euros for the first of the robberies. For the same, compensation of 2,073,275.20 euros is also requested for the robbery in the second premises, although in this case it is requested that all the accused face it "jointly and severally". Similarly, it is requested that the owner of the Joyerías Los Santos be compensated "in the amount that is expertly said regarding the damages" caused in both premises.
Finally, the Public Prosecutor's Office asks that Ovidiu H. and Ibrahim I. jointly compensate the owner of the Joyería Marvel with 37,450.90 euros for the effects stolen and not recovered from the robbery and the insurance company of said establishment with 10,697.42 euros for the damages caused to the premises and compensated by it.
