Mossos d’Esquadra of the Investigation Unit of the Premià de Mar (Maresme) police station arrested, on March 14 in Barcelona, ??two men, aged 43 and 44, for acting as false electricity and gas operators in the Maresme area. Five criminal acts are attributed to them, between mid-February and early March, in the towns of Tiana, Vilassar de Mar and Montgat.
The two detainees selected elderly victims, over 80 years old. Under the pretext of carrying out an inspection or repairing an urgent breakdown, they stole jewelry and cash. In some cases, they even charged them for the false service.
The modus operandi was always similar. A man, dressed in work clothes and with a false identification, showed up at the victims’ home. After alerting them of an alleged urgent breakdown or with the excuse of carrying out the periodic inspection of the electricity or gas, he entered the home. At a certain moment he would entrust the victim with some task, such as turning on the kitchen stove or activating the microwave. He thus managed to stay alone in one of the rooms and that is when he stole their valuables.
The stolen items were jewelry (gold bracelets, rings, earrings or necklaces) and cash (in one case up to 18,000 euros were stolen). On another occasion, a bank card was also stolen, with which more than 400 euros were withdrawn from an ATM.
Both thieves were arrested in Barcelona on March 14 and were brought to justice in the Barcelona Courts. Both are charged with the crimes of usurpation of marital status, fraud, robbery with violence and theft. They already had a history of fraud and theft. They are also attributed 13 events in Hospitalet de Llobregat.
