Five arrested in Jimena robbery

JIMENA (Press release/Photo: illustration only) Yesterday, the Guardia Civil from Jimena and Castellar arrested five people, including two minors, for allegedly stealing copper cable from the Las Buitreras electricity station. The incident took place when the GC, who were carrying a control point at the entrance to the municipality of Jimena from the A-405, at dawn. When they stopped two cars, one behind the other, for speeding, the first one slowed down but the one behind, a Skoda Fabia Combi, tried to avoid the control point, swerving sharply and coming off the road. The two occupants ran away on foot. Having been unable to stop them, the agents searched the vehicle, where they found a large amount of copper cable covered by black rubber insulation. Checking back to the first car, which had been retained with its occupants, they found that the driver's hands were stained black. Further inspection revealed a metal saw with replacement blade in the spare tire compartment. The driver, answering to the initials C.C.A., ad the two minors in the car were arrested and charged with robbery. Further investigation took the GC to>
Estación de Gaucín (a.k.a. El Colmenar) power substation at Las Buitreras, where they found two large cable coil spools, one of which was empty and the other about half so. The cable diameter and other indicators point to that found in the car in Jimena.

The two fleeing subjects were eventually located. D.G.d.C. and J.A.S.R., both Spaniards, were arrested and taken to the GC station in Jimena and are also charged with robbery

This type of crime is becoming increasingly popular because the price of copper has risen substantially over the last 18 months. After stealing the cable, perpetrators usually sell it by weight to junk yards or recycling businesses. The price is much higher if the cable has been stripped of its insulation.

(This article also appears on CampoPulse)