POLICE in Spain and Romania in association with Europol have busted a ‘love-hug’ robbery gang that stole items from people in streets across Spain.
The family-run crew sent jewellery and watches back to Romania.
12 people have been arrested and all remanded in custody for committing 41 thefts and four robberies with violence.
READ MORE:
- Plain-clothed police arrest couple using ‘love hug’ method to steal luxury watches from pedestrians in Spain
- Warning over ‘love hugging’ scam in Murcia after string of elderly people are targeted by gang
25 addresses were searched in Spain (2) and Romania (23) where 26 luxury brand watches and numerous items of gold jewellery were recovered.
22,900 euros, 1,850 UK pounds and 7150 lei of Romanian currency were seized along withl 12 properties and seven vehicles valued at more than €190,000.
The gang rented isolated rural homes across Spain and then swooped on cities to commit their crimes.
A Madrid court launched an investigation in early 2024 and though the group was based around the capital, it operated in the Alicante, Barcelona, Granada, Murcia, Sevilla, and Valencia areas.
The crooks acted in pairs- male and female, with the man driving the car in which they approached a victim.
The woman engaged in a conversation with a target seeking directions or information.
She’d then ‘thank them’ by caressing or hugging the victim- often elderly- to steal jewellery and watches with her male partner then driving off at speed once they obtained their loot.
Other members of the gang made ‘express’ trips to the cities where the robbery teams were located to collect the booty.
The Policia Nacional could verify that 45 crimes had been committed with the stolen items ending up in Romania.
Parcel shipments using different companies were made, hiding the watches and jewellery inside household appliances.
The goods ended up with the gang leaders in Romania, with police saying they enjoyed a high standard of living with a large number of properties and high-end vehicles.
Click here to read more Crime & Law News from The Olive Press.
