Hugger-mugger arrested in Calpe

A YOUNG woman has been arrested by the Guardia civil in Calpe on suspicion of obtaining around €50,000 worth of jewellery by mugging her suspects with the ‘hugging’ method. Despite being only 23 years of age, she has allegedly committed around 50 thefts and robberies.

She was arrested in Avenida de los Ejércitos Españoles in Calpe on Wednesday morning when a patrol noticed she fitted the description of a woman wanted for a theft committed in Els Poblets. The incident in Els Poblets concerned an 86-year-old German gentleman, who was approached on the doorstep of his home. The accused took hold of the man’s hand and began to kiss it. As she was doing so, the pensioner noticed his €5,000 watch becoming loose on his wrist and tried to withdraw his hand, realising he was about to become a mugging victim. However, the woman would not release her grip and managed to wrestle the watch from his arm, injuring him in the process.

After several efforts to find out if she could be involved in other robberies, investigations led the Guardia to Callosa d’En Sarrià, where she is alleged to have committed another jewellery theft in exactly the same style.

Her list of suspected crimes spread even as far as Mallorca, where in the town of Arta, a watch valued at €24,000 had been stolen using the same modus operandi. Moreover, she was also being sought in connection with a robbery in Vinaroz (Castellón), as she was believed to have violently robbed an elderly man of his watch worth €10,000.

She was taken to court and charged with two alleged crimes of theft and two of robbery with violence, and was released on charges pending a further hearing.