Overview

• Spain recorded 4,433 copper cable thefts in 2024, marking an 87% increase over five years, driven by surging global copper prices.
• Organized Eastern European criminal groups execute synchronized heists on rural and transport infrastructure, including recent attacks on Toledo's AVE rail lines.
• Stolen copper is funneled through complicit domestic buyers who pay in cash, with the metal then exported to Chinese refineries in maritime containers.
• The Guardia Civil's ROCA units have dismantled several theft rings, but enforcement challenges persist as multirecidivist offenders often evade long-term detention.
• Despite a 2015 national plan to map vulnerabilities and strengthen oversight, copper thefts have continued to rise, causing millions in losses and widespread disruptions.