A July inquiry into nighttime catalytic-converter thefts in Zaragoza traced the group to Mejorada del Campo and covered offences in Palencia and Granada. On 22 September, the Guardia Civil arrested five men in Mejorada del Campo over 40 property offences.
Investigators say the group travelled from the Madrid region to towns in the affected provinces, targeting cars parked on the street and removing their converters at night. The men allegedly returned to Madrid to sell the parts on the black market. RUSSPAIN has separately examined how completed transactions inform used-car valuations.
Three Romanian men, aged between 36 and 44, were arrested alongside two Spanish men aged 35 and 31. Guardia Civil units in Zaragoza and Palencia worked with colleagues in Granada during the investigation.
In Cuarte de Huerva, Zaragoza, the group was linked to 17 thefts between 12 and 17 July. Five more were recorded in Venta de Baños, Palencia. In Valladolid province, Laguna de Duero accounted for another five thefts, while Arroyo de la Encomienda had four. The remaining nine offences took place in Granada province.
Serial catalytic-converter thefts have also prompted police investigations elsewhere in Spain. In a separate Guardia Civil operation, “CATAMANCHA,” two people were arrested over 17 thefts in Herencia and Socuéllamos, Ciudad Real province. Investigators said the suspects used the same hand tools to cut converters from parked cars. Residents helped police after spotting an attempted theft.
A separate Mossos d’Esquadra investigation in Catalonia led to the arrest of three men in El Perelló, Tarragona province, over suspected thefts in Terres de l’Ebre. The men were aged 36, 38 and 45. Police found four stolen converters and a jigsaw with cutting blades. A 57-year-old man was also investigated over an alleged staged vehicle theft connected to the case. The three arrested men had a combined 55 prior police records, many relating to similar offences.
The legal classification affects the potential penalty. Removing a catalytic converter involves cutting or manipulating vehicle parts, so the offence is treated as robbery with force. If a judge applies that classification, the basic prison term is one to three years. The sentence depends on how the offence was committed and the damage caused.
If a court instead classifies the act as theft without force, Article 234 of Spain’s Penal Code sets a fine of one to three months when the stolen converter is worth no more than €400. For a higher value, the stated penalty range is six to 18 months. The same article provides for a prison term of one to three years in cases involving qualifying circumstances, including particularly serious harm. Repeat offending can also qualify. So can participation in a criminal group or organisation. Damage to the car and other circumstances can affect liability and sentencing. Repeated thefts may count as aggravating factors.
