PHOTOS: Sergio Betancort.
A man, his wife and his 19-year-old daughter were arrested this Monday in Lanzarote, after a spectacular police operation involving about 30 Civil Guard agents, as well as members of the Teguise Local Police. The investigation, in which the Tenerife Reserve and Security Group (GRS) has participated, was initiated to clarify the wave of robberies that Costa Teguise has suffered in recent weeks, especially in local businesses.
Among the victims of these robberies are establishments such as the Albatros hotel and the restaurants La Jordana and Divina Italia. As a result of the alarm generated in the area by these events, the GRS of Tenerife, which has been deployed on the island for days, focused its efforts especially on this case, with the collaboration of the Local Police of the municipality and agents of the Civil Guard on the island.
Apparently, two arrests that had occurred previously put the agents on the trail of the man who was arrested this Tuesday. Before acting, those responsible for the operation requested a judicial authorization to proceed not only with the arrest of these three people, but also with the search of their home.
Search with witnesses
At around 1 p.m. this Monday, the agents landed in a housing complex in Costa Teguise, located on Panama Street, while the local police were in charge of cutting off traffic in the area.
Upon arriving at the place, the family was not at home, so they had to request the presence of two neighbors who acted as witnesses, in order to carry out the search. After breaking down the door of the property and accessing its interior, the Civil Guard found cash registers and safes, watches and several items of clothing, among other things, which would be the result of the robberies being investigated.
After carrying out the search, the search for the owner of the house, his wife and his daughter began, who were arrested hours later. In addition, according to what La Voz has learned, a fourth person is being sought: a friend of the family and alleged accomplice in the robberies.
The "ringleader" of the gang
According to the Civil Guard investigation, the man arrested this Monday, a native of Arrecife and resident in Costa Teguise, would be the alleged ringleader of a gang dedicated to perpetrating this type of robbery in businesses. Along with him, presumably, his wife and daughter acted, but also other people.
Thus, in addition to clarifying some of the robberies that have occurred in recent weeks, the operation would have also allowed, supposedly, to behead this organized network.
The GRS of the Civil Guard of Tenerife has led this operation, but has also participated during its stay on the island in several devices in Costa Teguise, with different roadside checks both in plain clothes and in official vehicles.
