The investigation has led to the arrest of four individuals, three of whom have been sent to provisional prison by judicial order. The detainees face accusations for nine counts of forceful theft, focusing on the removal of public lighting cables, in addition to three robberies committed inside vehicles.
The total economic damage, including direct infrastructure harm and repair costs covered by the City Council, amounts to 47,932.83 euros. The thefts, occurring since January 2025, have particularly impacted areas near the cemetery and other municipal facilities, causing disruptions to public lighting and telephone communications, leading to significant inconvenience for residents.
According to the investigation, the alleged perpetrators employed an aggressive method to extract copper: they would break open concrete covers of conduits and violently pull out cables using a vehicle, causing severe damage to underground infrastructure and significantly increasing repair expenses.
During the searches, officers seized 19 kilograms of already processed copper, 200 kilograms of public lighting cable awaiting processing, 75 kilograms of lead batteries, and a radio equipment presumed to be from one of the stolen vehicles. The investigation also led to the discovery of a residence used for storing numerous items of illicit origin.
“"This type of crime particularly affects essential infrastructure such as wind farms, photovoltaic plants, lighting networks, railway lines, and construction sites, causing not only economic losses but also significant inconvenience to the public."
