An 80-year-old woman was robbed using chemical substances in broad daylight, in the Spanish city of Huelva, just over 100 kilometers from the border with Portugal. The case, which occurred this Tuesday, left the local population on alert and is now being investigated by the Spanish National Police, according to the newspaper Huelva Información.
The incident happened when the elderly woman was going, as she did every week, to a clinic on Avenida de Itália for a routine exam. It was around ten-thirty when she was approached by a young girl, around 17 years old, who asked her for help. “I remember perfectly how I was dressed, with light clothes, my hair tied up and a suitcase on my shoulder”, said the victim.
According to her report, the girl was friendly and “kept touching my face and arms in an affectionate way”. She said she was lost and was looking for the so-called “monjitas de San José”. At one point, he took out a wad of bills, claiming to have found it and wanting to return it. When the elderly woman suggested contacting the police, a second woman appeared, between 40 and 50 years old, who pretended to be concerned about the young woman.
Loss of consciousness and transportation home
From that moment on, the elderly woman’s memories became vague. All he remembers is a dark, high-end car with leather upholstery, which appeared at the scene, driven by a man who was an accomplice of the two women. “They took me home without forcing me. I told them where I lived and opened the door. I think they drugged me, because I was disoriented and had no idea what I was doing”, he said.
Once inside the room, the older woman searched drawers and asked him to hand over money and jewelry. “I gave them two thousand euros in cash and some gold pieces. I put them in a bag to give them to them. I was completely beside myself”, he lamented. According to the same source, the robbers were unable to access his bank account simply because “not even I knew where I had kept the notebook with the details”.
Reporting and medical intervention
After the group left, the elderly woman who was robbed continued to act as if nothing had happened. “I even went shopping,” he recalled. It was his daughter who realized something wasn’t right when she called him later and noticed the different voice. “My mother seemed out of it. When she started to remember what had happened, we immediately went to the police to file a complaint”, he said.
The victim received hospital care and presented minor injuries. “I have high blood pressure because of the scare, some scratches on my hands, because my bracelets were ripped off, and a bruise on my leg. They must have pushed me when they put me in the car”, he explained. The analyzes and the medical report were handed over to the Spanish authorities.
Similar cases raise concern
The family guarantees that this is not an isolated episode. “We spoke to another lady to whom the same thing happened in September. With this one there are already four cases”, they stated. On social media, several people commented on what happened, saying they knew similar situations in Huelva and other Andalusian cities.
According to the same source, the Spanish National Police have an ongoing investigation and, in the last two months, two other crimes have been recorded using the same method. The authorities, however, rule out the existence of an organized criminal network, considering these to be specific situations carried out by individuals who take advantage of the vulnerability of elderly people.
Prevention measures for older people
The Spanish police also said that they will reinforce awareness-raising actions among the senior population, within the scope of the Plan Mayor Seguridad program, of the Secretariat of State. These sessions aim to raise awareness of theft and scams and share practical security advice, especially with those who live alone.
Fear and distrust after the robbery
The morning after the crime, the elderly woman who was robbed went to the bank to cancel accounts and cards. “Now I’m really scared of being at home. I’ve already changed the locks, but I still don’t have confidence. And every time I remember what happened, I feel bad”, he said.
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