
A 48-year-old man, an expert in theft, declared nationally wanted for a series of thefts of vehicles, motorcycles and license plates in several cities in the country, was arrested by the Tirana Police.
Report TV learns that the arrested person is Marjan Hema, who was wanted by the Kuçova Police and is accused of at least 20 documented theft cases so far. According to investigations, Hema operated with a well-organized scheme.
In one city, he would steal vehicles or motorbikes, then travel to other cities where he would steal the license plates of the vehicles and use them for criminal purposes. He would mount the license plates on other vehicles or, it is suspected, sell them to organized crime groups, who would then use them to hide traces of their illegal activities.
Investigators are currently verifying whether the stolen vehicles and license plates were used in serious criminal incidents. In some cases, the 48-year-old also modified the license plates himself to avoid police checks. In one of the cases, he had changed a letter on the motorcycle license plate, turning the "R" into a "P" to avoid being identified.
After his arrest, Hema gave contradictory statements, claiming that he had purchased the motorcycle he was caught with from other people, but denied that it was stolen. He has previously been convicted of various criminal offenses, mainly property-related.