A Madrid gang accused of ripping catalytic converters from parked cars in several Spanish provinces has been broken up by the Guardia Civil. The crackdown sheds light on dozens of thefts and the growing problem of car part crime.
Investigators traced a string of catalytic converter thefts across Spain to a single group working out of Madrid. Three men were arrested in Mejorada del Campo after months of night raids left car owners in Granada, Zaragoza, Palencia, and Valladolid with big repair bills and few answers.
The suspects, Romanian nationals aged 36 to 44, allegedly drove out at night to hit towns across the country. They targeted cars parked on public streets, stripped out the catalytic converters, and then hauled the stolen parts back to Madrid to sell. Two Spanish men, aged 31 and 35, are also under investigation for helping the group. Diario de León and El Periódico de Aragón reported that the operation cleared up 40 property crimes tied to catalytic converter thefts in four provinces.
In Cuarte de Huerva (Zaragoza province), 17 catalytic converters were stolen in just five days between July 12 and 17, highlighting the rapid pace and organization of the thefts.
Police say the group didn’t stick to one area. In Granada, nine thefts were linked to the suspects. Cuarte de Huerva in Zaragoza lost 17 converters in just five days in July. More cases turned up in Venta de Baños (Palencia), Laguna de Duero (Valladolid), and Arroyo de la Encomienda (Valladolid). Altogether, 40 thefts have been clarified by the investigation. El Periódico de Aragón detailed how the suspects left Madrid at night, hit cars in different towns, and returned before dawn.
The investigation kicked off in July when police teams in Zaragoza, Palencia, and Granada started spotting a pattern. By sharing information, they realized the same Madrid-based crew was behind the crimes. Officers set up surveillance and gathered evidence, which led them to Mejorada del Campo. The arrests happened on September 22. Diario de León confirmed the timeline and the teamwork between provinces that brought the suspects in.
Catalytic converters are a hot target for organized thieves because they contain precious metals. Stolen parts move fast through criminal networks, making it tough for victims to get them back and leaving car owners with steep bills. The Guardia Civil’s crackdown comes as car part theft keeps rising in Spain, with gangs changing tactics to dodge local police. Las Provincias linked the spike in thefts to soaring prices for metals like rhodium, palladium, and platinum found inside the converters.
Parallel investigations in Huelva, Seville, and Badajoz revealed 43 additional catalytic converter thefts in short periods, indicating that the problem extends beyond this particular group and is driven by the high value of metals contained in the parts.
The case was handled by the Equipo Roca of Casetas (Zaragoza), the main investigation unit in Venta de Baños (Palencia), and the Guadix team (Granada). Their joint work shows how police have to team up as thieves get more mobile and organized. Police and Guardia Civil have also ramped up checks on paperwork at scrap yards and recycling centers to stop stolen parts from being resold, according to Las Provincias.
This case lays bare how easy it can be for organized thieves to strike in Spain’s city and suburban parking areas. Just a few hours of darkness can be enough. The quick arrests show what coordinated police work can do, but the risk for car owners is still real as long as the black market for parts keeps running. In Sagunto, four stolen catalytic converters left cars unusable, with the value of the stolen parts alone topping 2,000 euros. That’s the kind of financial hit victims are facing.
