He was back, doing the same thing, targeting the same highway
Two suspects forced tourists to stop on highway, falsely claiming tire damage, then attempted vehicle theft using high-speed dangerous maneuvers. Suspects have extensive criminal history with 66 prior property crime convictions and were arrested just two weeks prior for similar thefts in same area.
- Two men, ages 26 and 48, arrested on AP-7 highway in Cambrils on December 18
- Combined 66 prior property crime convictions
- Both arrested again just two weeks earlier (December 1) for three other thefts in same area
- Driver has never obtained a valid driving license
- Forced foreign tourists to stop using dangerous high-speed maneuvers, falsely claiming tire damage
Catalan police arrested two men with 66 prior theft convictions for attempting to rob foreign tourists' vehicle on AP-7 highway in Cambrils, using dangerous driving tactics.
On a Wednesday afternoon on the AP-7 highway near Cambrils, a patrol car spotted two men fleeing on foot. One ducked into a vehicle. The officers moved in and stopped them before they could disappear into traffic. What unfolded was another chapter in a pattern of highway theft that had plagued the same stretch of road for weeks.
The two men, ages 26 and 48, had just attempted to rob a foreign couple traveling through Catalonia. Their method was simple and practiced: force the tourists to pull over, convince them a tire had blown, then steal their car while they stood helpless on the shoulder. This time, the driver had executed dangerous high-speed maneuvers to cut off the victims' vehicle, weaving through traffic with reckless speed to make the stop happen. It worked—until the patrol arrived.
What made this arrest significant was not the attempt itself, but the men behind it. Together, they carried 66 prior convictions for property crimes. The driver had never obtained a license to drive at all, yet he was the one piloting the getaway vehicle at dangerous speeds. He also faced charges for creating a serious traffic hazard. The second suspect faced charges for attempted theft inside a vehicle. Both men had been arrested just two weeks earlier—on December 1st—for three other thefts in the same town, alongside a third accomplice. That earlier chase had also been harrowing, with the suspects fleeing across local roads and endangering other drivers before police cornered them.
The pattern suggested organization. In that December 1st arrest, all three men had been detained on multiple counts: theft, traffic safety violations, resistance to police, disobedience, and membership in a criminal organization. The driver faced the same unlicensed driving charge then as well. Now he was back, doing the same thing, targeting the same highway, using the same dangerous tactics.
The Mossos d'Esquadra—Catalonia's regional police—had been running prevention operations on the AP-7 specifically because of the theft problem. Around 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, they received an alert about possible robberies on the highway. When they arrived at kilometer 275 heading north, the two men were already in motion. The officers intercepted the driver before the pair could slip away into the afternoon traffic.
Both men were taken into custody and referred to the on-call instruction court in Reus. The foreign tourists, shaken but unharmed, had their vehicle returned. The highway, for now, was safer. But the question hanging over the case was whether two weeks in custody had changed anything about these men's choices, or whether the next alert would come from the same stretch of road, the same dangerous driving, the same false story about a tire.
Citações Notáveis
The driver had executed dangerous high-speed maneuvers to cut off the victims' vehicle, weaving through traffic with reckless speed to make the stop happen.— Police investigation findings
A Conversa do Hearth Outra perspectiva sobre a história
Why target foreign tourists specifically on a highway?
They're transient. No local connections, no way to follow up, and they're often carrying valuables. A highway is also a place where you can force a stop and create chaos before anyone can help.
The driver has never had a license. How does someone with 66 prior convictions keep getting behind the wheel?
That's the real question. He's not hiding. He's operating in plain sight, in the same area, using the same method. It suggests either he doesn't fear consequences or the system isn't catching him fast enough between crimes.
Two weeks between arrests. That's a short cycle.
Very short. December 1st to December 18th. He was detained, processed, and apparently released or bailed. Then immediately back to the same highway doing the same thing. It's almost defiant.
The mention of a "criminal organization"—what does that mean in this context?
Three men working together, targeting the same area, using coordinated tactics. It's not random crime. It's a crew with a method. That's why the charges escalated beyond simple theft.
What happens to them now?
They go before a judge. Given the pattern, the priors, and the fact this is a repeat offense within weeks, they'll likely face serious time. But whether that stops the thefts on that highway—that depends on whether there are more people in the crew still operating.