Andorran Police Arrest Georgian Thief for €850 Tobacco Heist in Pas de la Casa
Police detained the man despite an existing arrest warrant and linked him to a persistent Georgian theft ring hitting Andorran border shops. A judge issued a prison term later swapped for deportation.
Key Points
- Arrest occurred at Franco-Andorran border on active judicial order from February theft in Pas de la Casa.
- Suspect identified with three others; charged with property crime and organized group violation.
- Case links to Georgian-linked theft network targeting border businesses, including Encamp incident.
- Police intensify efforts against repeated cross-border thefts despite low-value hauls.
Andorran police arrested a 39-year-old non-resident man at the Franco-Andorran border over the weekend, acting on an active judicial search and detention order linked to a February theft of tobacco valued at approximately €850 from a Pas de la Casa shop.
The detention stemmed from an investigation launched after the commercial establishment reported the incident. Officers identified the suspect along with three other individuals during their inquiries and later confirmed the standing judicial order against him. Authorities consider him the presumed perpetrator of a property crime for the theft and a public order violation for alleged membership in an organised group.
The man now faces charges for these offences. While details on his court appearance and sentencing remain pending, the case highlights ongoing police efforts to dismantle persistent theft networks targeting border area businesses.
This arrest aligns with prior patterns of incursions by a small Georgian-linked group, previously tracked through complaints including one from an Encamp-area business in February. On 17 September, the Batllia issued warrants for named suspects as part of the broader probe. Though not highly profitable, the group's repeated activity has raised concerns for security in the parish.
Police continue operations to counter such cross-border criminal activity.
Related Articles
Other articles from Catalan-language sources about the same story:
- El Periòdic•
Detingut a la frontera un home buscat pel furt de prop de 850 euros en tabac i per estar vinculat a un grup organitzat
- Bon Dia•
Detingut un home amb una ordre de recerca judicial per furt de tabac i pertinença a un grup organitzat
- Altaveu•
La policia va identificar quatre sospitosos de la banda dels 'lladres de tabac'
- Diari d'Andorra•
Detingut a la frontera amb França per un furt de tabac de prop de 850 euros
- Altaveu•
Enxampen entrant al Pas un integrant d'una banda de 'lladres de tabac' buscada per la Batllia