Madrid, April 2, 2026 – In the early hours of Thursday, a luxury Valentino store located at number 16 on Ortega y Gasset street, within Madrid’s prestigious ‘Golden Mile’, was subjected to a violent ram-raid, marking the second such incident at the establishment in less than two years.
Repeat Offense: Similar Modus Operandi
The store had previously experienced an identical ‘modus operandi’ on Saturday, October 26, 2024, at 6:30 AM. On that occasion, three hooded individuals crashed an SUV into the storefront, ransacked the interior, and then fled in another vehicle. The scene that unfolded this Thursday morning was almost a carbon copy.
At approximately 5:30 AM, while the Salamanca neighborhood was still asleep, a group of thieves drove a high-powered car into the store’s security shutter. The resulting gap allowed them to gain access to the interior, where they quickly loaded as much merchandise as possible within a few minutes.
Extinguishers Used to Obscure Evidence
To further hinder investigation, the perpetrators emptied a fire extinguisher inside the store. This created a dense cloud of white powder, designed to blind surveillance cameras and erase any traces, significantly complicating the work for investigators. Outside, a second vehicle waited with its engine running to facilitate a swift escape for the culprits.
National Police patrols quickly arrived at the scene. Their initial observations included a large cloud of extinguisher dust emanating from the store, the almost completely destroyed metallic security curtain, and an abandoned vehicle next to it.
Witness Account and Police Investigation
A witness who observed the scene from the street informed authorities how the assailants, laden with stolen goods, made their getaway. Police sources indicate that both vehicles involved – the one used for the ram-raid and the escape car – had been stolen in March.
The abandoned vehicle in front of Valentino has since been removed and transported to the Municipal Vehicle Depot, where investigators are meticulously examining it for any clues that could lead to the identification of its occupants. The Provincial Judicial Police Brigade has taken charge of the investigation. As of now, the exact value of the stolen merchandise and the total amount of losses remain unknown, and no arrests have been made.
Previous Ram-Raid Caused Significant Losses
The previous ram-raid suffered by this business in October 2024 resulted in substantial financial losses. According to press reports from that time, a company representative initially estimated the theft could exceed 100,000 euros, as items and handbags valued at over 3,000 euros each were stolen. In that incident, the thieves utilized a ramp from the General Council of the ONCE to drive the SUV onto the sidewalk and crash it into the store’s facade.
The repeated targeting of this high-end establishment highlights a persistent challenge for law enforcement in combating organized crime in Madrid’s luxury shopping districts.
Source: https://www.elmundo.es/madrid/2026/04/02/69ce857c21efa0340b8b457b.html
