Five members of Spain’s most wanted gang of bank robbers, accused of some 50 robberies, have been arrested

Five members of Spain’s most wanted gang of bank robbers, accused of some 50 robberies, have been arrested in the north of Spain, including the man who is believed to be responsible for the shooting dead of a bank clerk in Cambrils, Tarragona, in Cataluña, last October.

The gang, which is described as extremely dangerous, ceased its activities after the fatal shooting, for fear of being captured.

The arrests were made in the early hours of Tuesday in the Basque Country, where the gang was based, and in Cantabria. It’s understood that another two suspects who are already in prison for other crimes have also been identified as members of the group. Another member has yet to be captured.

The police operation which led to their arrest followed months of investigation by a joint taskforce set up by the Catalan regional police, the Mossos d’Esquadra, their colleagues in the Basque Country, the Ertzaintza, and the National Police and the Civil Guard.

A total of 150 officers have been involved in the investigation.