During July and August of this year, Sitges recorded fewer than ten incidents related to the theft of luxury watches, a figure contrasting sharply with previous years when up to 11 specialized criminal groups operated in the town. Inspector Antoni Santervas, head of the Garraf Basic Police Area (ABP), attributes this improvement to constant pressure on criminal groups and the work of plainclothes officers.
Specifically, on September 3rd, the Mossos d'Esquadra recovered a Rolex valued at approximately 9,000 euros. The operation occurred when officers surprised a 30-year-old man, with 24 previous police records, just after he had stolen the watch from a Belgian tourist through a forceful snatch. The detainee was arrested for alleged robbery with violence.
Santervas highlighted the difficulty of catching thieves 'in the act' and emphasized the importance of the Urban Crime Group in reducing these types of offenses. The detected criminals are highly professionalized itinerants, part of mobile units that travel to various European cities, including Barcelona, Madrid, and Marbella, organizing their assaults and understanding the international fencing and resale circuit.
This year, the 'watchmaker' operation has been integrated into the 'Pla Espigó', a broader initiative against property crimes during the summer. Between June and August, crimes under this plan decreased by 29.5%. The most significant drops were in property crimes (-30.9%), petty thefts (-33.5%), and vehicle break-ins (-51.2%). Overall, incidents in the municipality fell by 19%, and public fights by 26.7%.
The positive trend extends to the entire year: from January 1st to August 31st, 2026, Sitges registered 626 fewer crimes than in the same period of 2025, a global reduction of 24.6%. During the summer, the Mossos arrested 25 people in Sitges for property-related offenses, seven of whom were for robbery with violence or intimidation.
