The National Police has dismantled four apartment theft gangs in Seville capital so far in 2026, achieving positive results for the UDEV Group 1, which specializes in Robberies. These organizations, composed of foreign citizens, operated itinerantly in various Spanish cities.
The most recent operation led to the arrest of three Colombian citizens in Jaén, who were carrying jewelry and belongings stolen from homes in Triana, Seville. This gang specialized in burglaries, with confirmed activity in Seville, Málaga, and Jaén. They gained access to properties by breaking the lock cylinder, a method characteristic of specialized groups.
The detainees followed a structured modus operandi: two members entered the homes, while a third kept watch outside. They preferentially selected properties in high-income areas and operated in the mornings, taking advantage of residents' absence. They were intercepted in Jaén carrying stolen goods from Seville. Despite their irregular status and expulsion orders, the judge granted them provisional release.
At the end of March, Operation Adriático dismantled another itinerant criminal group, consisting of two women from Eastern Europe, solving at least ten robberies. They used specialized door-opening techniques, primarily targeting jewelry and cash. In some cases, they entered homes with residents inside, pretending to look for neighbors.
On January 22nd, alleged members of another gang from Eastern Europe (Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria) were caught red-handed in Triana as they were about to break into an apartment. They had committed at least ten robberies, mainly in the Los Remedios area, forcing locks and stealing jewelry and valuables. A resident alerted the police after photographing two suspects who posed as postal workers.
A few days prior, the dismantling of a group dedicated to burglaries using the escalo (climbing) technique was reported, operating in Los Remedios and southern Seville. Three individuals were arrested, two of them in the act. The investigation, initiated in October, revealed that the criminals rappelled from rooftops to access homes, breaking windows or sliding doors. They sought jewelry, money, and valuables, and also stole a high-end vehicle.
The year 2026 began with the arrest of Rafael C. D., alias Falillo, in Dos Hermanas. This individual, wanted since last year's Operation Mina, was apprehended following a violent domestic assault on his ex-girlfriend in the Tres Mil Viviendas neighborhood.
Additionally, the Guardia Civil arrested the leader of a criminal organization dedicated to robbing homes in urbanizations in the Aljarafe region last spring, charging him with 31 burglaries. In Seville capital, home burglaries decreased by 4% in 2026 compared to the previous year (986 vs. 1,027), and by 10% in the province (2,491 vs. 2,769 in 2025).
