Police have arrested 34 people in a crackdown on luxury watch thefts targeting tourists in Marbella, Estepona and Ibiza.
Spanish officers working with Italy’s Polizia di Stato linked suspects to 28 robberies and recovered six watches individually valued at between €20,000 and more than €450,000.
One Marbella case involved four attackers who ambushed a tourist at the entrance to his home in late July and stole his watch.
Investigators tracked the suspects to Estepona, where arrests and a property search led to the recovery of the watch and clothing allegedly worn during the attack.
The wider operation targeted criminal groups that travelled to wealthy holiday destinations for short periods, sometimes posing as tourists, before leaving after committing robberies.
According to Policia Nacional, the gangs divided tasks between members.
Spotters, sometimes working in male-female pairs, identified potential victims around seafront promenades, marinas, nightlife venues and car parks.
Other members snatched the watches, while motorcycle riders handled approaches and getaways. Rental cars were used for transport and to move stolen goods between members.
Police said some groups with logistical bases in Barcelona routinely used physical violence during robberies.
A dedicated coordination unit was established in January to monitor the gangs, with particular attention paid to Ibiza and the Costa del Sol.
Investigators also monitored transport routes and suspected support networks in Madrid, Barcelona, Palma and Denia.
In one Ibiza operation, officers intercepted suspects at the airport as they attempted to fly to their home country.
A watch worth more than €450,000 was found among a female suspect’s belongings.
Another group was arrested outside an Ibiza nightclub following the theft of a €50,000 watch.
Officers also located two wanted suspects on the island in connection with the violent theft of a €155,000 watch in Madrid.
As activity intensified towards the end of the summer season, surveillance at ports and airports led to 20 further arrests during the second half of August.
Alongside the watches, police seized a car, four motorcycles, 14 fraudulent number plates, four false identity or driving documents, a signal jammer and mobile phones.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
