Spain - December 06, 2024 The Guardia Civil is investigating two men involved in the theft of more than 2.6 tons of copper from telecommunications infrastructure across Navarra. The suspects, aged 28 and 30, are part of an itinerant criminal group that operates nationwide, stealing telephone cables and causing significant damage to infrastructure. The group used rental vans and personal vehicles to avoid detection, sometimes sleeping in the vehicles to evade capture. The investigation began after the Guardia Civil intercepted a van and car in Islallana (La Rioja), where they discovered 2,620 kilos of telecommunications cable. The men could not justify its legal origin, leading to the confiscation of the material. The thieves are linked to the theft of 3.3 kilometers of telephone cables and the cutting of 23 utility poles between Espronceda and Torres del Río, Navarra. They also face charges related to the theft of fiber optic cables in Sesma, Navarra, causing an economic loss of nearly 47,000 euros. A third suspect, believed to be involved in the thefts, is being sought. The investigation has been handed over to the courts in Estella (Navarra).