A criminal gang that preyed on elderly and vulnerable people using the notorious ‘hug scam’ has been dismantled by the Guardia Civil, with eight suspects arrested and remanded in custody.
The group is accused of carrying out a string of robberies and thefts in which jewellery worth around €33,000 was stolen from victims, many of whom were pensioners or people with mobility difficulties.
Investigators launched the operation after noticing a rise in complaints across towns in the Antequera area involving elderly victims being targeted in similar circumstances.
According to the Guardia Civil, the gang typically used a young woman to approach unsuspecting victims. She would strike up a conversation, claiming to have noticed a stain on their clothing or pretending to recognise them from years ago.
The suspect would then embrace the victim in what appeared to be a friendly greeting, using the physical contact to remove necklaces, chains and other jewellery.
Authorities said the gang frequently resorted to violence when victims resisted.
In one particularly serious case in the Malaga province town of Almargen, a woman who relied on a walking frame was attacked while thieves attempted to steal a gold chain.
When she tried to stop the robbery, she was allegedly grabbed by the neck and thrown to the ground, suffering serious injuries including broken bones.
The investigation identified four core members of the travelling criminal group, who were eventually arrested in Villanueva del Trabuco in Malaga province and Loja in Granada.
They are suspected of offences including membership of a criminal organisation, robbery, theft, road traffic offences and causing injuries.
Police believe the gang was responsible for eight robberies and 13 thefts across Malaga province alone, as well as a further 10 offences in the provinces of Valencia, Alicante and Murcia.
The operation was carried out under Spain’s ‘Plan Mayor’, a national initiative aimed at improving the safety and protection of older people.
All of those arrested have been brought before a judge and ordered to remain in prison while the investigation continues.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
