Almería second-hand shop boss held over stolen goods

Police in Almería have arrested the woman in charge of a second-hand goods shop on suspicion of handling stolen property after officers traced items taken in a string of car break-ins in the El Quemadero area.

The National Police said the suspect is believed to have received property stolen during forced break-ins inside vehicles over recent weeks. Investigators say the case began after several complaints from residents in the neighbourhood, which had caused concern locally.

Officers first identified and detained the alleged thief linked to several of the burglaries, a man who already had previous convictions for similar offences, according to the force. They then followed the trail of the stolen items to a shop dealing in used goods and to a nearby garage, which investigators say was being used to store merchandise that was not entered in the business records.

During the search, police seized a range of suspected stolen property, including mobile phones, tablets, laptops, storage devices, a games console, watches and power tools. The items are now being checked against crime reports and serial numbers so officers can identify the rightful owners and establish whether they are linked to other thefts.

The National Police said the investigation remains open while the recovered objects are examined.