“I didn’t think about it; “The flames were already touching his back.”

It was a first floor. The flames had already devoured most of the house and on the balcony, the head of the family, in a state of shock, was completely paralyzed. The civil guard José María Garciastationed at the Aguilar de la Frontera barracks, tried to get to the house with the help of three other companions. Eventually, they managed to get the man and his children out; Unfortunately, his wife died. This heroic act, which occurred in August 2020, earned this agent a Cross of Merit with a white badge, which he received during the celebration of Pillar Dayat the Rectorate of the University of Cordoba. 23 other soldiers also received decorations for exceptional services.

“We didn’t think about it; The blinds were already burning and in seconds they would have invaded the balcony. We first tried to get there with the help of a car, but we didn’t succeed. Thanks to the neighbors, who provided us with a ladder, we were able to climb to where this man was and take him in your arms. We warned his children, who were stuck in an interior patio. We later learned that his wife had died in the fire,” he recalls.

Another of the crosses of merit was for David Aguilarwho is currently part of the Heritage Team of the Judicial Police Unit, but when the events occurred he was assigned to the Peñarroya Judicial Police Group. He intervened in the so-called “Bembézar” operation, which resulted in the arrest of a resident of Espiel who, since 2015, had managed to sell approximately 2,000 pieces on the Internet dating from late prehistory to the Islamic era. “He had minimal profits from 40,000 euros and sold in Spain and abroad”, indicates the treasury. The majority of the pieces recovered, more than a thousand, were coins (including a collection of septerios from the time of Nero); as well as arrowheads, glass and ceramic objects, among others.

The corporal was also decorated Angel Molinawhich contributed to solving the “Malugo” operation against the illicit trafficking of high-end vehicles. They managed to recover 40 cars after an investigation which lasted 9 months and which resulted in the arrest of 10 people. “They called on third parties with limited economic resources and ready to collaborate by providing their identity in exchange for a sum of money,” recalled the corporal, who welcomed this distinction, because “it does not is not only about us and our work, but also about our familieswho are there, who support us.