Authorities in Spain have apprehended a couple accused of engaging in a series of thefts dubbed as “love hug” robberies, targeting elderly individuals by embracing them and then stealing their belongings.
The Spanish Policia Nacional announced the arrest of a 26-year-old and a 30-year-old who operated in various regions of the Costa Blanca and Valencia provinces. The duo employed deceptive tactics to carry out the robberies.
According to reports, the suspects would approach elderly victims under the guise of familiarity, offering hugs or kisses, only to swiftly grab their bags, jewelry, and wallets. When faced with resistance, they resorted to violence to obtain the stolen goods.
Law enforcement sources revealed that the couple was responsible for up to 10 thefts in Alicante and an additional three in the Valencia area between February and June of this year. They had traveled from a base in Santa Coloma de Gramanet in Barcelona to carry out their criminal activities across Spain.
During a police raid on their property, substantial amounts of jewelry, cash, and other items were recovered, valued at over €1,000 (£882). Investigators suspect that the recovered jewelry may be linked to additional unreported thefts, as some pieces did not match any existing crime reports.
Incidents of “love hug” crimes have been on the rise in Spain, with a previous case involving two women aged 29 and 26 attempting a similar tactic in 2024. Their arrest prevented the theft of a gold chain from a 70-year-old man, who was approached under false pretenses and offered illicit activities instead of a hug.
In a separate high-value robbery in 2023, a 24-year-old woman was apprehended for using the same method to steal a watch worth €25,000 (£22,067). The police intervention thwarted the theft attempt and revealed the suspect’s involvement in similar crimes in the past.