Agents apprehended the suspects just as they were preparing to assault a bank branch in Benifaió. They are linked to the theft of over 120,000 euros from two previous robberies committed in Montserrat and Benetússer.
The gang operated with a highly professionalized method: they accessed bank offices through breaches made from adjacent premises or homes, waited hidden until employees arrived, restrained them, and forced them to open safes. They used ski masks and avoided mobile phones to prevent tracking, choosing secondary escape routes.
Documented robberies occurred on November 26, 2025, in Montserrat, where they stole 46,370 euros, and on April 14, 2026, in Benetússer, with a loot of 73,930 euros. The investigation also uncovered attempted robberies, such as one found in Bocairent on March 23, 2026.
A description of a distinctive physical trait of the leader, provided by victims, was key to focusing suspicion on the Paterna family clan. The final arrests took place on August 9 and 10 in Benifaió, after a neighbor alerted authorities to strange noises in a property adjacent to the bank branch.
The three men were arrested as they attempted to access the bank. During the operation, the Civil Guard seized ropes prepared to tie up employees, bladed weapons, ski masks, gloves, and a stolen vehicle with false license plates. They face charges of violent robbery, belonging to a criminal group, damage, document forgery, and vehicle theft. Two of the detainees have been remanded in custody by the Court number 2 of Carlet.
