Robbers who Preyed on Elderly Arrested

Officers from the Guardia Civil in Calpe (Alicante) have arrested two people accused of defrauding up to 9,000 euro for elderly victims.

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Officers were conducting a routine patrol when they observed a young man with a foreign accent loitering near cash machines last Sunday. The man then spoke, in a foreign sounding accent, to an elderly person who was using the cash machine.

The young man was then observed entering the lobby of the bank, which was closed as it was a Sunday, but available for the purpose of using the cash machines, where he was seen speaking to another young man. These two then left the premises and walked in opposite directions.

The officers decided to stop the men to ascertain if anything suspicious had gone on and whilst searching the original young man found 2,000 euro in cash and a cash card which didn´t correspond to his name.

The officers then spoke to the older man who confirmed his identity, which was the same as that on the card. This man then identified the card as being his.

It is believed that the young man, now identified as being of French nationality, distracted the older man using the cash machine so as he could observe the pin being used, and then stole the card which had become trapped by a device attached to the machine.

Once detained, the two men were taken into custody and a vehicle they had been using, which was parked near the bank, was seized and searched. The officers found another 7,000 euro in 50 euro bills.