Four RGP officers have today received commendations from Commissioner of Police, Richard Ullger, for their excellent work in a recent case.

Chief Inspector Paul Chipolina and Detective Constables David Chambers, Joseph Given and Louise Goldwin were praised for their efforts in bringing Virginia Osuna Gil to justice after she stole expensive jewellery from an elderly Gibraltarian.

Osuna Gil was employed to care for the lady in 2019 and the family soon noticed that a large number of high value items of jewellery were missing from two family properties.  The matter was reported to the RGP Criminal Investigation Department and an investigation was launched.

At the initial stages of the investigation, DNA swabs were taken from two pouches from which jewellery had been stolen, as well as from victims and persons with access to the properties.

Subsequent forensic analysis led to the defendant’s DNA identified as being present on both pouches and this evidence led to the defendant being arrested and interviewed.

In March 2021, Virginia OSUNA GIL was charged with one count of Theft of approximately £100K of jewellery from one of the family’s properties, and Burglary in relation to a further £30K of Jewellery stolen from a separate family residence.

As part of this investigation, extensive enquiries were undertaken with the support of counterparts from the Cuerpo Nacional de Policia in La Linea who were able to identify several businesses in Spain where the defendant had disposed of the stolen items over a period of several months.

After several appearances in court, the defendant pleaded Guilty to both charges and was sentenced to a total of 4 years imprisonment.

The citation awarded to each officer reads:

For outstanding police work, dedication to duty, tenacity and victim focus, in accordance with the Code of Ethics and Competency and Values Framework, and as displayed during Operation Theta, an investigation into the theft of items of jewellery valued at approximately £130K from 2 private residences between August 2019 and July 2020, with the defendant Virginia OSUNA GIL subsequently pleading guilty and sentenced at the Supreme Court of Gibraltar to a total of 4 years imprisonment.