'Huggermuggers' caught
Guardia Civil have arrested the eight members of a criminal group led by three women accused of almost 50 accounts of 'cuddle-theft' from Altea to San Fulgencio .
GUARDIA Civil in Altea have arrested eight Romanian nationals that formed a criminal group accused of almost 50 counts of 'cuddle-theft' from Altea to San Fulgencio - and a handful on the Costa del Sol and Murcia.
Cuddle-theft, or hug-mugging is a thieving tactic whereby pickpockets cuddle, show themselves affectionate or even propose to victims (in what police have regarding a 'erotic brushing up') in order to steal their valuables.
Hundreds of such crimes have been reported along the Costa Blanca, but finally one of the main gangs operating in the area has been dismantled.
Altea officers had been compiling a series of complaints filed at different station, but that followed a similar pattern.
Guardia Civil identified three Romanian women who were the leaders of the gang and five men - all aged between 18 and 40. The men were the women's husbands and son who acted as lookouts and getaway drivers.
The suspects were placed under surveillance that revealed how they met early in the morning and distributed themselves in three cars (one per woman) and decided which areas they were targeting that day.
Once they arrived, the women would find out a victim (generally as elderly and fragile as possible), get out of the car and engage him or her in conversation as if they were already acquainted.
Three women led gang formed by their husbands and sons
They would hug, kiss and at times even touch their private parts. While they did all this with one hand, the other went into the handbag or pocket to steal wallets, purses or phones, or to necks and wrist to steal jewellery and watches worth up to €30,000 in one case.
All this was carried out in front of their husbands and sons who, according to the police report, would let the women do anything that wanted to in order to obtain their loot.
If the spellbound victim suddenly became aware of what was really going on, the women's hugs and kisses became tugs and strikes.
In these cases, the women’s accomplices rapidly appeared on the scene to help them get away with the valuable, regardless of what condition the victim had been left in.
As a result of their criminal activities at least three people required hospital treatment: one with a broken humerous, another with a fractured shoulder bone and broken carpus bone in their wrist.
At least 47 people who reported the crimes were left without valuables and cash and police estimate the gang could have made up to €500,000 during their criminal spree.
After several month of surveillance to compile evidence, Guardia Civil forced entry into four homes in a marginal zone of Alicante city before the gang left on another thieving spree.
Officers impounded three cars, several mobile phones, jewellery, watches and IDs.
All detainees were placed under judicial care and after a preliminary hearing; the four women and one of the men were sent to prison without bail to await trial. The other four men were released on charges pending trial. They have been charged with 44 accounts of theft, three of violent robbery and belonging to a criminal organisation.