Two sisters, aged 29 and 52, are the main suspects in Operation ‘Conesma’ and are accused of 45 crimes committed in establishments in Alicante, Valencia, and Castellón. A third woman remains under investigation.
The sisters- both of Spanish nationality- allegedly used an empty baby stroller as their means to enter supermarkets. However, upon leaving, the stroller would be filled with concealed food products. Police believe that this practice, dubbed Operation ‘Conesma’, has been carried out by the women on at least 43 occasions.
The operation began with a report from the manager of a supermarket chain, where the women had stolen products valued at €427.91. Months later, a similar report was filed at the same supermarket, along with new offences committed in supermarkets in the towns of Picassent and Alcásser.
After being interviewed by Guardia Civil officers, it was discovered that the same individuals had committed similar acts between January 2022 and March 2023 in supermarkets across various towns in the provinces of Valencia, Alicante, and Castellón. On two occasions, when caught with stolen products, the detainees used physical and verbal violence against the store employees to avoid being detained.
It was in Valencia where the Guardia Civil apprehended them, and thereby accused the pair of a total of 45 crimes—43 thefts and 2 robberies with violence and/or intimidation—committed in supermarkets throughout the Valencian Community, as reported by the law enforcement agency. The detainees concealed the stolen products inside the baby stroller and then quickly exited the premises without going through the checkout line or paying for the items.
A third woman is under investigation. Surveillance footage shows that the culprits were always the same: two women with their hair tied up, one younger and the other older, with one of them pushing a baby stroller in which they concealed the stolen products. In some of the footage, a third woman, also young, appeared but did not match the previous two.
After an extensive investigation, which involved reviewing security camera footage and gathering various reports and statements, the identities of the individuals in the footage were established—they were sisters. Following appropriate measures to identify the third woman, it was determined that she was another sister of the detainees.
As a result of the operation, two women, aged 29 and 52, were arrested, and another woman, aged 32- of the same nationality- was investigated. In total, 43 thefts and 2 robberies with violence or intimidation, occurring between January 2022 and March 2023 in various towns in the provinces of Valencia, Alicante, and Castellón, have been resolved. The case has been forwarded to the Court of First Instance and Instruction number 1 in Picassent.
