Mossos Arrest Three After Raval Chain Snatching From Elderly Couple
Plainclothes police arrested three men after a chain was torn from an elderly couple in the Raval. One suspect hid in a nearby mosque during the chase.
Plainclothes officers of the Mossos d’Esquadra (Catalonia’s police) arrested three men on Friday, Nov. 13, after a chain was ripped from the neck of an elderly couple in Barcelona’s Raval neighborhood. The three were handed over to a judge as suspects in a robo con violencia (robbery with violence), according to Metrópoli Abierta, which cited police sources.
During the getaway, one of the men tried to shake off the officers by slipping into a mosque close to the Rambla del Raval. Police found him inside and detained the other two, who had stayed in the surrounding streets.
How the theft on Carrer Nou de Sadurní unfolded
The couple, a married pair of advanced age, were walking along Nou de Sadurní street at around 15:00 when one of the men came up on them without warning. He tore the chain from one victim’s neck and ran off, and his two companions ran with him.
The chase was short. The three covered a little over 100 meters before reaching Maria Casas Mira street, where there is a mosque. One suspect went into the building to hide. The other two hung around outside.
The robbery happened in broad daylight on a busy street. Several neighbors and passers-by saw it after hearing the couple shout for help, the outlet reported.
The FURA unit behind the arrests
The arrests were made by FURA, a team of plainclothes officers based at the Ciutat Vella police station. The unit works on preventing pickpocketing and street robberies in the old town, and its officers headed to the scene straight after the theft.
Police have not disclosed the names of the three men, the value of the chain or whether the couple were hurt. A judge will now handle the case. Metrópoli Abierta did not report a date for any court hearing.
Why it matters for people in the Raval
The three men are accused of robbery with violence over the chain that was torn from one victim’s neck in the attack on the elderly couple.
The incident has also added to unease in the neighborhood. Some long-time residents of the Raval told the outlet after the robbery that this kind of violent theft on the streets of Ciutat Vella leaves them worried and feeling unsafe.
The robbery took place on a busy street in daylight, and the suspects split up near the mosque, with one hiding inside while the other two waited in the street. FURA officers caught all three in the same operation.
What to watch next
The three suspects are now in the hands of the courts. Any decision on whether they are held in custody or released while the case goes forward will come from the judge. The Mossos d’Esquadra have not announced further details about the investigation.
Source: Metrópoli Abierta
