Else Beekman
Valencia witnessed a dramatic heist early Monday morning as a gang of masked thieves struck the central Apple Store. Employing the “alunizaje” or smash-and-grab method, they crashed a high-end vehicle through the store’s reinforced window to gain entry.
Within minutes, the robbers made off with over 100 Apple devices, mainly phones. They then escaped in two luxury cars, an Audi A6 and another high-end vehicle.
Swift heist which lasted only a few minutes
Local and National Police rushed to the scene on Calle Colón after receiving a report around 4.00 am. Responding officers quickly set up checkpoints on Valencia’s main exits in an effort to trap the thieves, but the gang managed to evade capture and left with their high-value loot. Security footage captured the swift heist, which store representatives believe lasted only a few minutes. Shortly after the incident, a store manager arrived to assess the damage and conduct an initial inventory of stolen items.
Frequent target
This Apple Store has been a frequent target for criminals in recent years. Most recently, in January 2022, masked thieves broke into the store by smashing a wooden window frame with a sledgehammer, seizing approximately 150 devices, including phones, tablets, and computers. In July 2018, another “alunizaje” assault was carried out, and in December 2017, a group of thieves executed a similar heist, escaping with a large quantity of electronic devices.
Authorities continue their investigation and are reviewing the security footage for leads.