In a recent operation in Valencia, the Spanish National Police successfully dismantled a criminal gang specializing in home burglaries. The group, known for its professional ‘impressioning’ lock-picking technique, saw four of its Georgian members arrested and remanded in custody by court order.
Smart Doorbell Key as Homeowner Confronts Thieves Remotely
The breakthrough in the case occurred in the early hours of August 20. A Valencia resident, on vacation, suddenly received an alert from the security camera at their front door. Through the live feed on their phone, the homeowner was shocked to see several suspicious individuals tampering with the lock. The owner acted decisively, using the camera’s two-way audio feature to shout at them, forcing the suspects to abandon the burglary and flee. The homeowner then immediately reported the incident to the police, providing a crucial lead for the investigation.
Unveiling ‘Impressioning’: A Traceless High-Tech Crime
Police investigations revealed that the gang used a highly specialized technique known as ‘Impresioning’. This method allows criminals, without the original key, to create a working key by injecting a specific material into the lock cylinder to obtain a precise mold of its internal structure. Because this process leaves no visible physical damage on the lock, victims often only discover the theft long after it has occurred, making it extremely difficult to investigate.
‘Operation Summer’ Leads to Arrests and Seizure of Stolen Goods
After receiving the report, police quickly launched an investigation. In the early hours of August 21, as part of the special ‘Operation Summer’ deployment, police spotted the four suspects leaving their residence, preparing to commit another crime. When the suspects noticed the police presence, they immediately tried to flee in different directions and discard their tools, but all were ultimately apprehended by the police.
In the subsequent search, police found a large amount of stolen money and goods inside the suspects’ residence, including €13,463 in cash, jewelry, designer watches, sunglasses, perfumes, and multiple mobile phones. Additionally, police seized a complete set of professional tools for ‘impressioning’. Some of the cash has already been returned to identified victims, while the origin of the remaining items is still under investigation.
Downfall of an Itinerant Transnational Crime Group
The investigation confirmed that the four arrested suspects are all Georgian nationals and part of a highly mobile criminal group residing temporarily in Valencia. They have prior arrest records for similar offenses not only in other parts of Spain, such as Madrid and Alzira, but also in their home country of Georgia and in Austria.
Police have confirmed the gang is linked to at least two home burglaries in the Valencia region, including another incident on July 29. The four suspects have been remanded in custody by court order on suspicion of multiple counts of burglary, pending trial.
