Three people have each been sentenced to more than 12 years in prison after being convicted of a series of burglaries at homes in Tenerife, during which almost 200 items of jewellery were stolen.

The Provincial Court of Santa Cruz sentenced each of the three defendants to 12 years and three months in prison after finding them guilty of breaking into at least ten properties across the island, after they were arrested at Tenerife North Airport in June 2025 while attempting to leave the island, with 194 items of jewellery in their possession.

In addition to their prison sentences, the defendants have been ordered to compensate seven victims with almost €3,000 each, plus further amounts based on the assessed value of the stolen jewellery, together with applicable interest.

Homes targeted when owners were away

The court heard that between December 2024 and May 2025, the defendants targeted numerous homes in Tenerife, mainly in Santa Cruz.

Before breaking in, they allegedly used markers to establish whether residents were away from their properties. Once satisfied that the homes were empty, they gained entry using lock picks or a technique known as “lock bumping”, which can open certain locks without leaving obvious signs of damage.

This allowed them to steal jewellery, valuables and cash while leaving little evidence of forced entry.

Items reported stolen included medals, coins, watches and expensive pens, as well as almost €5,500 in cash.

Prosecutors initially linked the defendants to burglaries at 14 properties, later reducing that figure to 12. The court ultimately found sufficient evidence to prove their involvement in ten of the break-ins.

Seven victims will receive compensation directly from the defendants, while others have already been reimbursed by their insurance companies.

Defendants claimed they were on holiday

During their trial in April, all three denied being involved in the burglaries. They claimed they had been friends since childhood and had travelled to Tenerife on holiday, meeting on the island on 14th May 2025.

They also claimed the jewellery discovered when they were arrested had been hidden inside their clothing because they did not want to risk losing it in their luggage.

One of the defendants was said to be a jeweller who had allegedly bought the items in Tenerife with the intention of repairing them before selling them in his home country.

However, the judges rejected this explanation, saying it had “no credibility whatsoever.”

Evidence used to secure the convictions included CCTV footage from buildings where the burglaries took place, witness statements and the identification of stolen items.

The court noted that some of the defendants now look different from their appearance in the CCTV footage because they have since grown their hair and beards and wear glasses.

Arrest at airport ended burglary spree

The ruling concluded that the three defendants had acted together to commit a series of thefts for financial gain while in Tenerife.

The judges also highlighted that they had no personal, social or family ties to the island and did not speak Spanish.

According to the ruling, their activities only came to an end because they were intercepted and arrested as they attempted to leave the island.