Pickpocket Ring Dismantled in Morro Jable

Five arrested during Operation “Buzunare MJ”, investigation involved 13 people

The Civil Guard unit in Morro Jable (Fuerteventura) has dismantled a thieves’ ring as part of Operation Buzunare MJ, which culminated in the investigation of thirteen suspects.

According to the official report, the alleged perpetrators are accused of:

• 21 thefts
• 4 frauds

Five of the suspects were detained, three of them caught in the act.

The criminal groups also operated in the islands of Gran Canaria and Lanzarote, targeting the most touristic areas.

The investigation began several months ago after the police received numerous complaints from victims who had been pick‑pocketed. Most incidents occurred in crowded tourist spots, where the thieves took advantage of the density of people to act unnoticed.

In response to growing concerns from the tourism sector, the Investigation Unit of the Morro Jable Civil Guard headquarters launched a series of actions to clarify the facts.

First phase

Analysis of security‑camera footage from the affected locations identified the suspects as Romanian nationals who operated during specific periods of the year, coinciding with the peak tourist season.

Second phase

Discreet surveillance was set up by investigators, and patrols were intensified in strategic zones with the cooperation of the Local Police of the Pájara municipality. This allowed authorities to identify several members of the criminal groups.

Key moments of the operation include:

• 26 January – A plain‑clothes officer spotted two members of the same clan committing a theft on a busy avenue in Morro Jable. One was arrested, while the other fled.
• 30 January – During a static surveillance, two officers intercepted a man and a woman as they opened the backpacks of elderly tourists to steal from them.

Thanks to these actions, Operation Buzunare MJ has clarified 25 property‑related offences, attributed responsibility to 13 individuals, and detained five of them. Part of the stolen items has also been recovered.

The detainees have been placed at the disposal of the judicial authorities, together with the investigative reports, before the Instruction Section of the Guard‑on‑Duty Court in Puerto del Rosario.