schema:articleBody
| - Romanian officials have arrested dozens of suspects in connection with heists from moving lorries as part of an operation spanning five countries, prosecutors and regional police agency Europol said on Tuesday. Prosecutors said the thefts had "a high degree of sophistication" while Europol described a "Fast and Furious"-style of operation that required driving within inches of the lorry to cut its locks, often without the driver being aware. "One car would start to drive slowly in front of the lorry while two other cars held up the other traffic. A fourth car would drive up close behind the lorry," the Europol statement said. "One of the criminals would climb out of the car's sunroof onto the bonnet and break open the lock on the lorry with an angle grinder." Stolen goods would be thrown to one of the cars or on the side of the road to be picked up later. "The driver of the lorry and other road-users were often completely unaware of what was going on," Europol said. The gang had more than 100 members and was believed to have committed over 150 cargo thefts for a total estimated damage worth in excess of 10 million euros or $13 million, Europol said. The agency said a total of 68 people had been arrested during operation "Arrow". Romanian police detained 37 people, while more than 30 others were arrested in France, Spain, Netherlands and Sweden, Europol said. European arrest warrants have been issued for some who are still at large. On Monday, Romanian prosecutors conducted 73 house searches and recovered laptop computers, bottles of perfume, clothes, three luxury cars and five firearms. ii/wai/pma
|