The Criminal Investigation Divisions (DIC) of the Mossos d’Esquadra in Lleida and Girona, along with the Customs Surveillance Service of the Tax Agency, dismantled months ago a major network dedicated to stealing Toyota RAV4 vehicles to send them to Africa, operating mainly from Ponent (Western Catalonia).
“"We parked the car on a Monday for a work trip to Paris and the next day, upon returning, it had disappeared. According to Aena, it is still listed as being there."
This is the case of Artur Segarra, from Les Cases d’Alcanar, and his partner Rut, from Vielha, who suffered the theft of their vehicle last April in the parking lot of Terminal 2 at El Prat Airport. Segarra denounced the inaction of Aena, as the car was stolen from a supposedly guarded location, and he even had to pay the exit ticket.
Investigators determined that the criminals were perfectly organized, using an electronic plate to unlock and start the car without forcing entry. The method for exiting the parking lot involved placing another vehicle in front of the stolen one and driving out 'attached' when the barrier opened.
Subsequently, the vehicles were concealed in shipping containers, hidden among scrap metal, and transported to ports such as Barcelona and Castelló de la Plana to be shipped to countries in Africa. Up until October 2025, 118 cars of this model were reported stolen, with cases in the capital of Segrià, Balaguer, Golmés, and Vilagrassa.
