Spain’s National Police – in an operation carried out jointly with police in Romania and coordinated by Europol – have arrested more than 20 people involved in a criminal network that carried out robberies by first ‘hugging’ their victims in a ‘loving embrace’.
According to the police, the hugging technique was used to catch victims unaware, with the thieves approaching in a friendly demeanour, before assaulting their victims with a hug and then robbing them.
Members of the criminal organisation carried out their thefts near bank branches and cash points, and in many tourist areas.
13 arrests were made in Murcia and eight more in Madrid. Sixteen house searches were carried out in which evidence of 46 alleged crimes against personal property were discovered.
The gang was based in Madrid but operated throughout Spain. Stolen jewellery, cash and high-end vehicles were seized by the police, and 56 bank accounts belonging to the suspects were frozen.
One of those arrested was reportedly responsible for making express trips from Madrid to the crime scenes across Spain to collect the stolen items, and then send them by courier to Romania.
Subscribe to the Weekly Newsletter from Spain in English.
🚩Desarticulada una #organizacióncriminal itinerante dedicada a la comisión de robos con violencia y hurtos mediante el método #abrazocariñoso en una operación conjunta con #Rumanía, coordinada por @Europol
— Policía Nacional (@policia) April 12, 2025
🔴21 detenidos (13 en #Murcia y 8 en #Madrid)
🔴16 registros, de los… pic.twitter.com/879sbNCaqh
Utilizaban el método del abrazo cariñoso para asaltar a sus víctimas. Hay 21 personas detenidas, de un grupo criminal itinerante, que también actuaba en Madrid y enviaba lo sustraído a Rumanía https://t.co/M3ePBhL8Ei
— Telemadrid (@telemadrid) April 12, 2025
Please support Spain in English with a donation.
Click here to get your business activity or services listed on our DIRECTORY.
Click here for further details on how to ADVERTISE with us.