Police Detain a Woman for Theft and Fraud In Alicante North
Agents from the Judicial Police Operational Group in the Alicante North Station have detained a woman for theft and subsequent fraud. She took advantage of the vulnerable state of individuals involved in a traffic accident to steal a driver’s wallet and mobile phone, then used the credit card in two nearby shops.
Events unfolded as the driver passed near the local TRAM line in Alicante’s northern area and a light collision with a pedestrian occurred.
The woman exited the vehicle to check on the pedestrian, who remained stable, and immediately contacted emergency services to report the incident and request medical assistance for the man involved.
Meanwhile, two women approached the scene to calm the distressed driver. One of them offered to accompany her, climbing into the back of the car to move it out of the way and clear the road.
Although it appeared the helper intended to assist, once the vehicle was parked securely, she got out and left the scene. Later, the victim realized her phone and wallet, which contained cards and 500 euros in cash, were missing.
To make matters worse, the victim soon discovered she had also fallen prey to a fraud, with one of the stolen cards used at two nearby shops before it could be blocked. She filed a police report, and investigators from the Alicante North Police Station took charge of the inquiry.
The officers checked the stores where fraudulent charges occurred and reviewed surveillance footage showing a woman who matched the victim’s description. She positively identified the person who attempted to calm her after the accident as the same individual who used the distraint tactic to take her belongings.
Thus, investigators carried out further inquiries that led to the identification and detention of the alleged perpetrator, who was charged with theft and fraud.
The detainee, a 40-year-old Spanish national with prior offenses, was brought before the duty magistrates in Alicante for processing.
Exploiting the vulnerability of accident victims worsens the penalty for the crime. Not only is there moral reproach for offenders who take advantage of the physical or emotional weakness of those involved in accidents, but the Penal Code treats this behavior as an aggravating factor in theft cases.
The relevant provision states that exploitation of the occurrence of an accident and the related danger to society, which weakens the victim’s defense or enables the crime to be carried out with impunity, carries a prison sentence of one to three years.
[Police Report, Alicante North Police Station, 2024.]