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From Mercedes to Lamborghini: Alicante becomes the new hotbed of luxury car thefts
Thieves and criminal organisations choose high-end vehicles from tourist towns in Marina Alta and Vega Baja
Alicante has become a hotspot for luxury car thefts, with a 9% increase in vehicle robberies in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period last year. The province has seen 705 cars stolen, with the majority of incidents occurring in affluent tourist towns along the coast.
But this new generation of delinquents aren’t content with the traditional family Ford Focus. Instead, they’re setting their sights much higher and thieves and organised crime groups are targeting high-end vehicles from brands such as Mercedes, Audi and BMW and even supercars like Ferrari and Lamborghini.
The towns of Denia, Benidorm, Altea and Torrevieja are among the most affected areas, with their high standard of living and large number of foreign residents making them prime targets.
Alicante is now the seventh province in all of Spain where the most cars are stolen.
The thieves use sophisticated techniques to steal the cars, including manipulating the electronic systems and altering the vehicle identification number (VIN) to disguise the stolen vehicles as legitimate. With the help of advanced technology, they can even open and start a car from a distance of up to 200 metres.
According to data from the Ministry of the Interior, the town of Denia has the highest rate of car theft, with 40 incidents recorded in the first half of the year. This translates to a rate of 0.88 cases per 1,000 inhabitants, making it the most affected town in Alicante province.
Other towns with high rates of car theft include Orihuela, Torrevieja, Altea and L'Alfàs del Pi. These towns share common characteristics, including a high percentage of foreign residents and areas with significant purchasing power.
In recent years, police have cracked down on several high-profile cases of luxury car theft, including the dismantling of a crime ring that stole from Ukrainian refugees in Alicante.
Other notable cases include the arrest of a man in Calpe for stealing two cars worth more than 120,000 euros and the apprehension of four individuals in Benidorm and Villajoyosa for stealing five vehicles.
In other operations, high-end stolen vehicles were located in Benissa and Jávea, and two luxury car thieves were arrested in Denia and Benidorm.
Images: Policia Nacional
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