The Civil Guard has arrested two employees of the Terminal D construction at Palma airport for stealing over 2.6 kilometres of copper cable valued at €73,000. The detainees sold the material to recyclers for €24,000.
The Civil Guard has arrested two workers aged 46 and 48 as the alleged perpetrators of the theft of over six tonnes of copper cable during the renovation works of Terminal D at Palma airport. The material, valued at €73,000, disappeared last May and was sold by the arrested individuals to various recycling companies on the island, from which they obtained around €24,000.
An investigation that linked sales and access
The Tax and Border Analysis and Investigation Unit (UDAIFF) of the Civil Guard at the airport took over the case following a report from the project managers. The agents reviewed sales by individuals at recycling centres in Mallorca and cross-referenced them with the list of personnel who had access to the restricted area when the theft occurred. This led them to the two suspects, who had made numerous transactions of copper cable at those establishments.
The stolen cable, a total of 2,600 linear metres, was intended for the electrical installations of the future commercial premises of Terminal D. According to the Civil Guard, the workers were not authorised to remove this material, which was supposed to follow a regulated procedure for its management as waste. The investigation allowed for the recovery of part of the copper and confirmed that the detainees acted with intent to profit.
A crime with force and without scruples
The arrested individuals, both residents of Mallorca, are accused of a crime of theft with force. The Civil Guard does not rule out that they may have acted on more occasions or that the stolen cable could have been in greater quantities, although the investigations focus on the reported lot. The works at Terminal D, which aim to modernise the facilities at Palma airport, thus suffered a setback that forced the replacement of the material at the contractor's expense.
Son Sant Joan airport, the third in Spain in passenger traffic, is a strategic point for the economy of the Balearic Islands. The theft of copper not only represents an economic loss but also delays in construction timelines. Sources from the investigation indicated that the detainees took advantage of their knowledge of the area and schedules to steal the cable without raising suspicions.
Consequences for the Mallorcan reader
This type of crime directly affects the citizens of Palma and the entire island, as the airport works aim to improve the travel experience and the capacity of the facilities. Any delay or cost overrun impacts the service. Furthermore, the stolen copper is a critical material for electrical infrastructures, and its theft forces investment in its replacement that could be allocated to other improvements.
The detainees will be brought before a judge in the coming days, while the Civil Guard continues to investigate possible buyers from the recycling centres who acted in good faith. Companies in the sector are advised to tighten controls on the origin of the materials they acquire to avoid being complicit in such activities.
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