The mayor of Novelda, Fran Martínez, has highlighted the "perfect coordination" between the Civil Guard and Local Police in rural surveillance tasks aimed at preventing crop thefts during the 'Uva de Mesa Embolsada del Vinalopó' campaign, which has recently started and will continue until the end of the year.
As part of the Civil Guard's Security Plan presentation for this campaign, held in Agost, nearly 200 officers from the ROCA team, specialized in protecting agricultural holdings, will be deployed. Fran Martínez emphasized the importance of "close collaboration and permanent coordination" between law enforcement agencies, especially during the months of harvesting and commercialization.
The mayor of Novelda, accompanied by the Councilor for Agriculture, Ximo Mira, attended the meeting with the Government's sub-delegate in Alicante, Manuel Pineda, and the Colonel Chief of the Civil Guard Command in Alicante. Mayors from municipalities within the Protected Designation of Origin, along with farmers and professionals linked to the table grape sector, also participated.
Martínez praised the positive results of this joint effort in Novelda, where no significant thefts have occurred in the last two campaigns. "Coordination is fundamental to anticipate problems and guarantee the safety of our farmers," he stated, thanking the officers' involvement in protecting a sector "fundamental to the economy and identity of our region".
In the coming weeks, the approximately 200 ROCA team officers will focus their efforts on monitoring cultivated plots in the Vinalopó region, with particular attention to grape harvesting and transport periods. The main objective is to prevent thefts by reinforcing police presence and improving coordination with local police forces and sector professionals.
The Government's sub-delegate in Alicante, Manuel Pineda, noted that the operation aims to "prevent thefts and ensure the product reaches markets in the best conditions." The Civil Guard is also incorporating new surveillance technologies to address threats such as cybercrimes affecting the agricultural sector.
