Arrests Made in Beach Robberies

From La Presnsa article The Public Ministry announced the arrest of a notorious gang that specializes in assaults and burglaries of residences and businesses in the beach locations of San Carlos, Anton and Chame. In a well synchronized large police operation that took place early Tuesday morning in several houses in La Chorrera, police arrested nine suspects and found items stolen in various burglaries from residences and businesses in the beach area. The raid involved over 100 police officers and 20 agents of the Public Ministry. Nine cases are pending against the group, and at least 15 more cases of robbery/burglary in the area are under investigation and could eventually be linked to the gang. Typically the gangsters would approach a beach community by boat, break into unoccupied beach properties during the week or rob businesses. They also escaped by boat.

Comment: San Carlos, Anton and Chame have countless beach properties that are only inhabited during the weekends and holidays. During the last year expats living in the area and business-people held several meetings with the police, to alert about the increasing level of crime in the area and discuss protection.

These arrests are without doubt a big success for the investigators and for beach residents alike.

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Playacommunity Comment: We can thank groups like NHN for thier tireless efforts to keep the beach areas safe.