The Guardia Civil arrested a 27-year-old Romanian woman, accused of at least seven cases of theft using the 'abrazo cariñoso' or 'friendly hug' on elderly victims.

She has numerous previous arrests for this kind of theft all along the Spanish Mediterranean coast. As the amount stolen each time is classified as petty theft, no soon caught, she is back out on the streets.

The Almuñécar incidents took place starting this year and all of the victims have been elderly who had been ‘liberated’ of items of jewellery and watches. This caused social alarm amongst the older generation in Almuñécar.

The last case occurred on the 17th of this month on Avenida de Guadix and involved a 90-year-old, female victim.

The victim reported the theft at the Guardia Civil post where they already had a pretty good idea who it was as the victim was shown mug shots and the accused was immediately identified.

The previous incidents took place on the 25th of April, the 15th, 21st and 30th of May and the 9th, 16th and 17th of June. The Police finally found her on the Paseo del Altillo, no doubt looking for another victim, the police consider.

Editorial comment: She should have been stuck on the next plane to Romania ages ago.

(News: Almunecar, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)