The Mossos d'Esquadra have identified 4,500 alleged repeat offenders at higher risk of reoffending in Catalonia following the implementation of the Kanpai plan. The majority, 78%, are concentrated in the metropolitan area of Barcelona, where police pressure has intensified in recent months.
New Tools for Police Control
The Catalan police have launched the CercAut application, which is now operational throughout the territory. This tool allows for the management and systematization of the monitoring of the most active suspects. CercAut collects data on committed crimes and generates indicators such as the crime activity rate of each person during specific periods. Furthermore, the application classifies incidents according to the type of robbery or theft and the location where they occur, whether on public roads, in shops, or in homes.
"This police intelligence tool allows for the systematization of a work model for the entire territory and thus establishes operational objectives" - Xavier Alcoceba, sergeant and deputy head of the Criminal Investigation Technical Area of Mossos
According to the Mossos, a persistent offender is considered to be someone who has accumulated two or more recent arrests for crimes related to repeat offending, such as robberies or thefts. The objective is to anticipate their activity and act before they re-offend
"We don't expect him to commit the crime, we are trying to be proactive to get him off the streets as soon as possible" - Lisard Hidalgo, chief inspector of the Criminal Investigation Division in Barcelona
Judicial Monitoring and Expulsions
The Mossos are investigating whether the suspects have outstanding court orders and, if so, they forward the information to the court when new crimes occur. The police are looking for evidence so that judges can issue restraining orders for sensitive areas such as public transport, car parks, or commercial areas. In cases of persistent foreign offenders, collaboration with the National Police is initiated to begin deportation proceedings from the national territory.
Mobility and Concentration of Recidivism
After almost a year of implementing the Kanpai plan, the Mossos have not detected significant movement of repeat offenders between police regions, but rather between nearby municipalities. In Girona, of the 401 repeat offenders located, 60 committed crimes in other Catalan regions and, of these, 32 in Barcelona. According to the Directorate General of Police, in only three cases has it been confirmed that, after the plan came into effect, some active individuals in Barcelona moved to Girona.
Reinforcement against receiving networks in Barcelona
The regional police force has intensified its actions against receivers of stolen goods networks in Barcelona, especially those dedicated to the purchase of mobile phones, the most stolen item in the city. To this end, the Autolic system is being used, which allows for tracking and locating clandestine mobile phone buying and selling points destined for the black market.
"The Autolic system also helps combat repeat offending" - Lisard Hidalgo, chief inspector of the Criminal Investigation Division in Barcelona
- 4,500 suspects identified as alleged persistent offenders in Catalonia
- 78% of cases concentrated in the Barcelona metropolitan area
- CercAut and Autolic, new tools for police control and the fight against repeat offending