Andorra Police Arrest Two Men for La Massana Burglary and Drug Possession
Authorities identified the suspects using internal police images and linked them to forced entry thefts. Investigators suspect ties to itinerant European gangs, while separate crimes hit other Andorran sites.
Key Points
- Two men, aged 40 and 48, detained in Andorra la Vella for ties to European gang behind La Massana apartment burglary stealing watch, ring, and €450.
- Suspects part of itinerant network targeting gold, luxury watches, cash; methadone tablets seized.
- Separate Salita Park burglaries in Escaldes-Engordany linked to different gang; plastic door markers used to check occupancy.
- Police warn residents to report door markers like plastic strips and review CCTV, Interpol data.
Police in Andorra detained two non-resident men, aged 40 and 48, on Tuesday afternoon in Andorra la Vella, suspecting them of membership in an organised gang linked to a late-June burglary at a La Massana apartment.
Citizen Security patrols identified the suspects using internal images distributed by property crime specialists among police units. The break-in yielded a luxury watch, gold ring, and about €450 in cash. Police described the coordination as key to the arrests and ongoing evidence gathering.
The men belong to an itinerant criminal network operating across Europe with coordinated roles to avoid detection. Such groups prioritise gold, luxury watches, and cash. Similar forced-entry thefts surged in neighbouring countries this summer.
Investigators have ruled out any link between these suspects and two apartment burglaries early Tuesday at Salita Park in Escaldes-Engordany, where thieves stole jewellery and gold watches from unoccupied flats. One owner alerted police via a home camera showing two intruders forcing the lock and ransacking the interior. Agents found a second affected unit in the same block, with matching tactics including plastic fragments placed on doors to test occupancy. Police now attribute those crimes to a different gang active in Andorra last May. A second complaint is pending to assess total losses.
The suspects also face public health violations after police seized around a dozen prescription-free methadone tablets during the arrest.
No evidence directly connecting them to the La Massana incident or others was found on arrest. Officers are reviewing CCTV, Interpol data, hotel records, and border activity.
Police have reiterated warnings about thieves' use of door markers—such as plastic strips, silicone threads, or glue—placed high or low to check if homes are empty. Residents should report any such signs immediately and, if discovering a break-in, avoid touching anything until officers arrive.
The investigation continues amid recent trends, including May arrests of two others from an Eastern European country during a villa break-in on Carrer Gil Torres in Andorra la Vella. Without formal charges, the men risk expulsion on security grounds.
Related Articles
Other articles from Catalan-language sources about the same story:
- El Periòdic•
La Policia deté dos membres d’una banda organitzada vinculada a un robatori en un domicili de la Massana
- Altaveu•
Alliberats els sospitosos de furts en pisos: duien metadona però no tenen lligam amb Salita Park
- Diari d'Andorra•
Detinguts dos sospitosos de formar part d’una banda organitzada especialitzada en furts amb força
- Altaveu•
Controlats dos sospitosos de furts en pisos: s'investiga si estan lligats al 'cas Salita Park'