Criminal Organisation Dismantled for Stealing Car Rear Cameras in Alicante to Sell in Algeria and France

The National Police have dismantled a criminal organisation dedicated to stealing rear parking cameras from cars throughout the city of Alicante. The gang specialised in stealing these components from a specific car brand to later sell the parts in France and Algeria, where there is a shortage of these cameras. These components are easy to steal and have a high market value.

In total, four individuals have been arrested, aged between 34 and 44, who are allegedly responsible for up to 45 offences related to car part thefts, mainly rear cameras, although there are cases where they also took headlights and mirror trims, according to police sources.

The investigation began after a series of reports in a short period alerted about the theft of very specific parts from cars parked in different areas of Alicante. All of them were rear parking cameras from a particular car brand. After studying the information, the agents discovered a common pattern, pointing to a criminal organisation dedicated to these illegal activities.

The operation was carried out in two phases. Initially, surveillance was conducted, which led to the arrest of one of the group's members in the act of committing a theft. Additionally, the vehicle used by the gang was seized. The second phase focused on uncovering the criminal modus operandi.

According to investigators, they acted in a coordinated manner, with one member watching the area, another extracting the cameras from parked vehicles, and a third waiting in the car with the engine running to facilitate escape. They used a lever to lift the brand logo on the boot lid, where the camera is located.

Thanks to these efforts and various investigations, the agents were able to locate and arrest the alleged perpetrators for their involvement in the supposed crimes of theft and membership in a criminal group. They are charged with a total of 45 criminal offences, all committed in the city of Alicante.

The investigation revealed that the stolen cameras were sent to Algeria and France, where demand is high due to the scarcity of these components, as well as being distributed in various parts of the national territory. The detainees, after the completion of police procedures, have been brought before the duty courts in Alicante.

With these arrests, the agents consider this specialised criminal group dismantled, although the investigation remains open, and further arrests are not ruled out, as well as the emergence of more victims and the identification of other locations where the stolen parts were received.