Catch a Thief in Barcelona with 100 Arrests Behind Him

The publication in El Caso of the video of a thief operating at El Prat airport put the Mossos d'Esquadra on his trail. They quickly recognized him because he is a well-known figure to the police. He is an Albanian-Kosovar who has accumulated 500 identifications, 150 charges, and 96 arrests.

Repeat offenses have become the main reason for the rise in crime in Catalonia. An excessively lenient system and the collapse of the courts have facilitated a climate of impunity that criminals take advantage of.

This thief's case highlights the problem of repeat offenses, especially at Barcelona airport. Thefts have multiplied in recent years due to the presence of these thieves specialized in robbing tourists. After the pandemic, thefts have multiplied far beyond the increase in passengers.

Last year was particularly grim, as crimes doubled compared to 2023. This thief's case perfectly illustrates the logic that favors the actions of these repeat offenders.

Restraining Order for 50 Habitual Thieves

After identifying this thief again and verifying that his victims had filed a complaint, the Mossos arrested him this week. They took him to the El Prat police station, where despite his record, he was released pending trial. He is now on the street, probably planning his next move.

According to El Caso, although he doesn't operate solely at the airport, it is there where he has been intercepted more than thirty times. To the point that, for the first time, the Mossos and the Prosecutor's Office requested a restraining order from the airport.

The measure has since been applied to another fifty habitual thieves, with satisfactory results.

The Mossos have identified a hundred habitual thieves who usually operate at El Prat airport. The reinforcement of security within the facilities has managed to reduce the number of crimes, but now the thieves operate outside.

The officers do everything they can to deter criminals, but the system in Catalonia often makes their work futile.

Barcelona, Capital of Crime

The Mossos try to catch the thieves red-handed or identify them once the complaint is processed with the more than three thousand cameras they have at the airport.

But the result is always the same. The judge orders their release due to the minor severity of the theft, and at best imposes precautionary measures such as a ban on leaving the country. This often becomes an incentive for the criminal, who, unable to leave the country, returns to operate in the same place.

The officers face true professionals of theft who know the system's weaknesses perfectly. This led to 3,000 thefts being recorded in the first six months of last year alone, double that of the previous year. This is the first impression thousands of tourists get when visiting Barcelona, now officially turned into the capital of crime.