13/08/2013 00:00
TW
0
By Staff Reporter AN island-wide hunt was under way last night after a group of thieves carried out a Mission Impossible style robbery on the Alcampo shopping centre in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Not only did they break into the well-protected shopping centre, which has a state-of-the-art surveillance system, but they then headed to the commercial centre where they broke five shop windows and stole the contents. One of the worst hit shops, was Miro the jewellers, where the thieves helped themselves to valuables worth in excess of 120'000 euros. Other shops, including a dry cleaners, were also left counting the cost yesterday. “These people really knew what they were doing. The robberies were planned with military style precision,” said one of the shopkeepers.
Police were yesterday combing the area for clues. One of their initial theories is that the thieves scaled up to the roof of the shopping centre, removed a skylight and then lowered themselves into the centre using ropes in a similar method as Tom Cruise in the hit movie, Mission Impossible 1. They also managed to find the security camera´s blind-spot.

Using a pickaxe then they proceeds to smash the shop windows stealing highly valuable jewels and even emptying the cash-box from one shop within the shopping centre.

After a thorough search yesterday police made an important discovery, traces of blood were found near one of the smashed shop windows. Police forensic experts were analysing the blood samples to discover whether it could shed light into the identity of the thieves. Alcampo was also mounting their investigation yesterday into the robbery. “We have a number of cameras and a security guard. However, this one person has to patrol an area measuring 20'000 square metres, therefore it is an extremely difficult task.” Over recent years there have been a series of spectacular robberies on the island with the thieves using almost military style operations. This robbery has to be one of the most spectacular to date which obviously required careful planning and great precision. Police are convinced that they are dealing with a very well organised gang and there are fears they could strike again. “This was a very elaborate robbery,” said one police officer yesterday.