10 arrested in Spain for robbing Ukrainian refugees

By Alyssa McMurtry

OVIEDO, Spain (AA) - Spanish police said on Friday that they arrested 10 people for robbing Ukrainian refugees in the regions of Valencia and Murcia.

Seven of those arrested were Ukrainians themselves, while police also detained three Russians from the same family for aiding the robberies, according to a police statement.

Police say the organization targeted Ukrainian war refugees because they tend to have all their savings and valuable belongings with them.

After the raids, police recovered more than €1.25 million ($1.33 million) in stolen cash and valuables, including watches, jewelry, cellphones, laptops and a stamp collection.

The criminal organization worked systematically, according to the police.

Once they identified their targets, they would follow them around to track their routines, even putting GPS trackers on their cars.

Once they knew their victims would be away from their homes, the thieves would go to their homes, pick the locks so they would leave little trace and take what they wanted from their homes.

Police say the break-ins happened with seven refugee families or individuals living in the Costa Blanca towns of Torrevieja and Orihuela.

The suspects — nine men and one woman — face various charges, including robbery, belonging to a criminal organization and violating privacy.

Since the war broke out last year, Spain has taken in nearly 168,000 Ukrainian refugees, according to the Interior Ministry.

Valencia has been the most popular destination, with more than 45,000 Ukrainians settling in the region with around 5 million people.