National Police have dismantled a travelling criminal organisation based in Torrevieja that specialised in burglaries using the so-called “glue thread” technique. Thirteen people have been arrested, eight of whom have been remanded in custody. Investigators have linked the group to at least 27 robberies committed between December 2025 and March 2026.

The investigation, led by Madrid’s Court of Instruction number 33 and the Organised Crime Prosecutor’s Office, began after officers detected a cell in the Vega Baja area made up mainly of Georgian nationals. Police say the gang used a property in Torrevieja as a logistical base, renting vehicles and temporary accommodation in several provinces while targeting homes in city centres including Madrid, Valencia and Guadalajara.

The group used the “glue thread” method to check whether properties were empty, placing a fine thread between the door and frame. If it remained intact after several hours or days, they assumed no one had entered and carried out the burglary. Stolen items included jewellery, high-end watches and cash.

During nine searches in Alicante, Madrid, Valencia and Guadalajara, officers seized jewellery, three gold bars, luxury watches, burglary tools, equipment for illegal smelting and 6,000 euros in cash. Police say the investigation is continuing and further offences have not been ruled out.