Lorraine Williamson
The attack happened at a villa in Nagüeles at around 11.00 pm on Thursday 10 September. According to police sources cited by Spanish media, three masked and armed men entered the property and confronted the couple inside their home.
According to sources close to the investigation, one particularly significant detail is that the intruders appear to have gained access without forcing the lock. Police are continuing their investigation to establish how the men entered the villa and to identify and locate those responsible.
Couple separated inside their home
Once inside, the three attackers allegedly used violence to bring the situation under their control. The husband and wife were separated and taken into different rooms, where they were gagged.
Both are reported to have been assaulted. The woman was also threatened with a firearm as the intruders demanded that the couple hand over their valuables.
The gang eventually fled with cash and jewellery. The exact value of what was stolen has not been made public, although initial estimates suggest the haul was substantial.
Emergency services alerted hours later
The robbery began at around 11.00 pm, but emergency services were not alerted until after 3.00 am, more than four hours later.
When Policía Nacional officers arrived at the property, the attackers had already disappeared, and nobody suspicious was found nearby. Medical personnel also attended the villa, where the woman required treatment after suffering an anxiety attack.
There have been no reported arrests so far, with investigators working to establish the identities of the three suspects.
Violent home robberies remain a police concern
The Nagüeles attack comes only two months after Policía Nacional announced that it had dismantled a separate itinerant criminal group suspected of carrying out violent robberies at occupied homes in Marbella and Alicante.
Five people were arrested in that operation while allegedly preparing another robbery in Marbella. Police recovered five real firearms, tactical silencers and ammunition, as well as GPS trackers, restraints, duplicated number plates and other equipment. The group was linked to five robberies in which property worth around €400,000 was stolen.
There is no indication that the group dismantled in July is connected to this latest attack, and the cases should not be treated as linked. What both demonstrate, however, is the seriousness with which police are treating armed robberies at occupied homes.
Investigation continues in Marbella
Nagüeles is one of Marbella’s established residential areas, with villas and gated developments close to the Golden Mile. An armed attack on residents inside their own home will inevitably cause concern, particularly because the intruders apparently managed to enter without obvious signs of forced access.
For now, investigators have not publicly disclosed how the men selected the property or how they gained entry. Those questions will form part of an investigation that remains open as police attempt to locate the three attackers.