Two individuals, aged 20 and 54, were arrested in the town of Toledo on charges related to a fraud scheme targeting an 86-year-old woman in Alicante. The case centers on a stamp fraud that misled the victim into handing over approximately 3,000 euros in jewelry and cash. After a thorough investigation by agents from the Alicante Northern Territory Police Station, the suspects were apprehended as part of a coordinated effort to dismantle the scam network that operated across multiple jurisdictions.
According to the victim’s statements given to the police, she was walking in Alicante when she was approached by a young man who tried to evoke sympathy by feigning a mental disability. The man appeared visibly distressed and began to cry, drawing the woman’s concern and prompting her to offer help. The initial interaction served as the hook to gain her trust and redirect her attention away from street activity and toward the alleged need for assistance.
As the situation unfolded, the fake disabled individual claimed he needed to accompany the woman to a place where the nun’s school was located. A second accomplice joined in the ruse, offering to drive the pair in his car to the indicated destination. The elderly woman, feeling compelled to help and perhaps reassured by the presence of two men who appeared to be acting with a plan, agreed to the arrangement. During the drive, the young man displayed stacks of 50 euro notes and commented on her jewelry, signaling a distraction and a potential opportunity for theft. He pretended to admire the woman’s earrings and used her admiration as a reason to continue the scheme, suggesting that he would stop crying once the jewelry was surrendered and later returned upon arrival at the school.
Under the illusion that this exchange would resolve the emotional episode, the victim handed over her earrings and a necklace to the young man. The fake helper then used the moment of perceived relief to persuade her to return home to retrieve additional jewelry and coins. He led her to believe that after they delivered the child to the nun’s school, the valuables would be recovered and shared with him. This manipulation secured extra items from the victim’s residence, including more jewelry and 200 euros in cash. The younger man was given the money and an empty plastic bag to amuse himself while the plan proceeded, with the promise that the return of her possessions would follow at the designated location.
The story continued as the elder woman was told to stop at a shop to buy a sandwich for the young man. She did so, hoping to fulfill the implied agreement and complete the charitable act the assailants had constructed around her vulnerability. At the moment she stepped inside the store, the two perpetrators fled the vehicle with the loot, effectively escaping before she could realize the actual scope of the deception.
Flight
After the theft, the victim reported an attempt by the two suspects to distance themselves, and she noticed that the two had left in a car before she could exit the store. The preliminary information and physical description provided by the victim prompted investigators at the Alicante Northern District Police Station II Investigation Group to broaden their inquiry and cross-reference similar incidents in other areas. They discovered a parallel act of a related nature in Placencia (Cáceres), which the authorities linked to the same pair of men, both aged 20 and 54, now confirmed as suspects in multiple operations.
Investigators verified that the two fraudsters were the same individuals who had previously targeted victims in Alicante. Eventually, officers located the suspects in Talavera de la Reina, a town in Toledo, where their habitual residence was identified. Cooperation between the Alicante investigators and the local police in that municipality facilitated the arrest and the subsequent detainment of the individuals for questioning. The suspects were placed into custody while inquiries continued to determine the full scope of the offenses and to identify any additional victims who may have fallen prey to the same scheme.
Both suspects were released pending further judicial steps and awaiting summons to the authorities after giving preliminary statements. The ongoing case underscores a persistent risk associated with street-level scams that exploit compassion and the emotional state of elderly individuals. The National Police reiterates the importance of maintaining skepticism toward extortionate solicitations and emphasizes that such schemes often rely on classic ruses, including the so-called “tocomocho” or “stampita” scams, which remain in circulation and are frequently employed to disguise the true criminal intent behind seemingly harmless requests.
In light of these events, the National Police advises citizens to exercise caution when approached by strangers who display any signs of distress or who attempt to manipulate trust on public roads. If someone appears vulnerable or suspicious, it is prudent to seek assistance from authorities or move to a safer location where help can be provided. The police stress that reporting suspicious behavior promptly helps to prevent others from becoming victims and ensures a swift response from law enforcement. Citizens should maintain a healthy wariness and avoid sharing valuables with strangers who offer inconsistent reasons for their requests or who press for immediate action. By staying vigilant and reporting concerns, individuals can contribute to a safer community and help disrupt similar criminal activities before substantial losses occur.