Police detain five people suspected of theft of CEAR equipment in Duran

Agents of the National Police detained five subjects who would be linked to the theft of articles and equipment belonging to the Training Center for High Performance (CEAR) located in the Duran canton.

The capture of the suspects occurred during raids led by agents of the Judicial Police (PJ) to several buildings of the Unión de Bananeros cooperative, in Guasmo, south of Guayaquil. The operation began on Wednesday night and lasted until the early hours of Thursday the 21st.

Treadmills, exercise bikes, televisions, medical equipment, weights, air conditioners, among other items that still had the seals of the Ministry of Sports, were recovered from the buildings.

The confiscated objects were taken to the courtyards of the Judicial Police, in the west of Guayaquil.

This morning, at the CEAR headquarters in Durán, police personnel are staying to continue with the investigations of the case.

Group operations

For a month antisocials had stolen articles from the center in vehicles to take them to their homes in order to sell them illegally, said a uniformed member of the Judicial Police. “These guys entered arbitrarily, breaking the security of said center and they began to steal things of value,” added the police member.

Until now, 5,000 meters of copper cables and some aluminum tables had been stolen. That had been sold at recycling centers, according to inquiries.

An agent of the Judicial Police said that they were captured last night when they had gone to pick up a truck to take the sports equipment that was already packed; there were treadmills, weights, and even punching bags. Even the chairs were ready to be taken out of the place that does not have security.

A uniformed man who participated in the investigation explained that items from the kitchen were also being taken. They are industrial machines that were already offering in bakeries. Meanwhile, treadmills and weights were being offered in gyms, according to investigations.

“The suspects wanted to dismantle the place this morning, but we already followed in their footsteps and they were arrested in flagrante delicto,” said the uniformed man.