Crime tourists sometimes visit Benidorm, but not to spend their illegally obtained money. They arrive aiming to steal from travelers, especially seniors, exploiting the summer crowds and using deceptive tricks. The National Police stay vigilant, working to prevent these criminals from roaming freely. Recently, the Benidorm Police Station Immigrant Brigade arrested a man and a woman, both Cuban nationals, aged between 30 and 50, for allegedly stealing a gold chain valued at 1,800 euros through a mixed fraud scheme.
As officers patrolled a busy street in the city, they observed a sequence of suspicious actions involving an elderly couple. A man and a woman appeared to crowd them and used a close physical posture. The man clasped the elder woman by the neck with his arm, restricting movement, while the accomplice attempted to clean the area with a handkerchief. This behavior triggered the officers to intervene, identifying themselves as police representatives to the distressed couple.
The elderly pair reported that a man and a woman, who carried a large gray and green mark on their backs, approached them during a stroll and offered to help remove the mark with a handkerchief. After the two suspects were checked, investigators confirmed that both had active criminal indictments in force from different courts for prior ill-treatment and related offenses.
Although the victims initially claimed nothing was missing, a subsequent search of the couple’s belongings revealed a gold chain and a diamond necklace worth 1,800 euros, along with another jewel found nearby. The two suspects were arrested for theft carried out with a so-called stain technique and related demands they had made as part of the crime.
Back at the police station, officers found the female suspect concealing a pale paste mixed with green ink inside her bag, which had been used to mimic bird droppings on fabrics. The detainees were placed at the disposal of the Benidorm security court. The National Police continue to investigate to uncover other acts of the same nature and to identify potential accomplices.
The Provincial Police Station confirms a strengthened National Police presence in Benidorm’s most tourist-heavy zones during the summer, with a mix of plainclothes and uniformed officers patrolling the area to deter theft and protect visitors.
In confronting thefts committed through deception, the police also offer practical advice for travelers. Suggestions include keeping bags closed on public transport and using front pockets, staying alert when withdrawing cash at ATMs, and avoiding leaving luggage unattended, even during hotel check-ins. Travelers are encouraged not to broadcast holiday plans on social media to reduce the risk of opportunistic crime.
The case is summarized as a finding of the so-called stain technique by criminals who travel to busy tourist regions. This modus operandi involves spraying a greenish liquid onto a victim’s clothing to imitate a bird’s droppings stain and then offering to help clean the fabric. While the victim is distracted by the cleaning gesture, the criminals search for valuables, often targeting gold chains, with the suspect and accomplice deliberately exploiting the trust of the elderly and isolated travelers. In many instances, victims realize the theft only minutes later, once the culprits have already fled the scene.