Santa Ponsa.Following months of exhaustive investigation, Guardia Civil in Palmanova have arrested 10 people for the theft of 81 championship bicycles worth 90'000 euros.
The bikes were manufactured by Merida out of carbon fibre, and are extra light. They can cost more than 2'000 euros each.
Last year, a hotel in Santa Ponsa had acquired a large number of the bikes with the intention of hiring them out to tourists. In February 2011, thieves broke into the hotel's storage premises and stole 20 of them.
Later in the year, in October, people who the Guardia Civil believe to be the same gang, broke in again and made off with 61.
Investigators were hot on the trail after discovering that identical Merida model bikes were being sold on the internet. The bikes materialised in various parts of Spain, including Asturias. Some buyers were unaware they were illegal, others knew about the theft. The ten arrests were made in stages as the Guardia Civil closed in on the gang. They confirmed that the leader, a young local Spaniard, was known by his nickname El Sevi.
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