Gang ‘short-circuited’ gaming machines with screwdrivers for jackpot wins in Costa Blanca and Murcia areas of Spain

SIX people have been arrested for manipulating gaming machines in gambling saloons in the Murcia and Costa Blanca areas.

The young gang struck in Torre Pacheco, La Union, and Torrevieja to make over €70,000.

The crooks played roulette-style machines and if they did not win, they short-circuited the units to obtain a full refund of their wagers as well as manipulating the machines to cough up big payouts.

Sessions yielded up to €9,000 in winnings and tokens were cashed in at €1,000 limits with saloon cashiers to avoid attracting suspicion.

Operators got wind of what was going on and introduced new machine software to stop the ruse.

Nevertheless, the players then resorted to using a screwdriver to go under a gaming screen to pry out wires to create a short-circuit.

50 Guardia Civil officers raided four addresses in Roldan and Lo Ferro in the Torre Pacheco municipality to arrest six individuals who all have extensive criminal records.

A dozen crimes have so far been identified.