A GANG of thieves have been arrested in Benidorm after they were caught leaving their apartment with four suitcases of stolen smartphones.
The arrested, of Spanish and Moroccan nationalities, reportedly targeted British tourists who were out in Benidorm nightlife hotspots.
National Police seized 74 mobiles from the suitcases, meanwhile the four arrested have been imprisoned awaiting trial.
Police reportedly opened an investigation following a slew of denuncias concerning mobile phone thefts while victims were distracted.
Four suspects, aged 19 to 25, were identified in the operation.
They reportedly used apps to find accommodation around Alicante and avoid registering their names to any one address.
Two of the four were detained in a nightclub in the act of theft.
The remaining two were pounced upon after leaving an apartment with the four suitcases of phones.
“The modus operandi suggested a prior selection of targets, as the alleged perpetrators only stole from inside bags carried by the victims,” a police spokesperson said.