Nine held over 56-tonne cable theft ring

The Guardia Civil has arrested nine men and is investigating five more over an alleged theft ring blamed for stealing more than 56 tonnes of telecommunications cable across Spain.

The inquiry began in February after the Equipo ROCA in Paiporta learned of a series of cable thefts in Sedaví, Alfafar and the Castellar-l’Oliveral district of Valencia. Officers later linked the case to a separate Guardia Civil intervention in Vinaròs, where similar cable was found in a van abandoned after a traffic accident.

Investigators say the trail led them to a vehicle in Manises on 4 March, where they found material allegedly intended for the thefts and detained three men. Further surveillance then uncovered another group allegedly cutting phone cable near a manhole cover, dressed and equipped to look like telecoms workers.

In April, a separate check by Policía Local de Benetússer helped officers identify two men who claimed to work for a telecommunications company and showed a Telefónica identification card. Police later established that they were allegedly removing cable between Valencia’s La Torre district and Benetússer and Sedaví.

According to the Guardia Civil, the suspects used work clothing, safety gear, cones, barriers and temporary road signs to pose as authorised maintenance crews. They are also said to have used false documents and stayed in hotels in industrial areas to make themselves harder to trace.

The operation has led to the seizure of four vans, two generators, four motorised winches, three water pumps and various tools. Officers also recovered around 2,200 kilos of copper cable and intercepted 396 kilos in the April phase of the inquiry.

The force says the alleged offences include theft, membership of a criminal group, identity fraud and usurpation of official functions. The case files have been sent to courts in Quart de Poblet, Catarroja and Valencia.

Damage put at more than €364,000

Police say the criminal activity under investigation caused losses of more than €364,000 to the affected companies, with the total amount of cable stolen put at more than 56,780 kilos.

The arrests included men aged between 21 and 36 of Peruvian, Colombian, Honduran, Cuban and Dominican nationality. The five people under investigation are aged between 33 and 44 and are reported to be Spanish, Dominican and Peruvian.

The Guardia Civil said the investigation involved the ROCA team in Vinaròs and Policía Local de Manises.