Isha Sesay
POLICE have busted a criminal gang responsible for multiple robberies at luxury villas across Mallorca.
A total of seven people, all originally from South America, were arrested in the operation.
Investigators say the gang had connections with several construction companies on the island who renovated high-end homes.
Through these links, they were able to obtain a copy of the keys to enter the villas and were told where safes were hidden inside.
They were also told when the homeowners or tenants were usually out of the home.
With this information in hand, the gang planned and executed their robbery, always targeting the safes.
In the dozens of robberies carried out, hundreds of thousands of euros in cash was taken as well as expensive jewellery and designer watches.
The loot was shared among the gang, sold or sent to family members in South America.
In one of the robberies, a housekeeper was gagged and brutally beaten after surprising the thieves.
The victim was able to remove the gag from her mouth and scream for help with neighbours coming to her rescue.
All of the detainees have been charged with belonging to a criminal group, robbery with force, robbery with violence and fraud.
It comes weeks after a man was assaulted by two burglars inside his home in Santa Eugenia.
Guardia Civil say the two men, aged 26 and 35, have a violent criminal history with one carrying out a similar assault on another homeowner in the same area weeks prior.
