Police dismantle gang emptying bank cards of tourists in Gran Canaria
The National Police have dismantled a criminal group in southern Gran Canaria specialising in stealing wallets from tourists in order to subsequently extract money from their bank and credit cards.
Police dismantle gang emptying bank cards of tourists in Gran Canaria
The National Police have dismantled a criminal group in southern Gran Canaria specialising in stealing wallets from tourists in order to subsequently extract money from their bank and credit cards. The incidents occurred primarily in the tourist areas of Mogán and Puerto Rico, according to Swedish newspaper Expressen.
The investigators note that the offenders carefully selected their victims, focusing especially on older persons and particularly vulnerable visitors. The investigation began after several complaints were received in late April and early May, as reported by the Canarian newspaper La Provincia.
The affected parties reported the disappearance of their personal belongings and, shortly afterwards, discovered unauthorised transactions in their current accounts. In at least one case, the fraudsters managed to withdraw approximately 400,000 Swedish crowns — roughly €35,000 — from a single card before its holder could block it, according to data from Norwegian media outlet Nettavisen.
Three individuals were finally arrested after officers managed to identify them through security camera recordings from the cash machines where the withdrawals were made. The arrested individuals are being prosecuted for several theft offences.
In response to this situation, the authorities have issued an alert directed at tourists, urging them to take extra precautions with their valuables and to activate SMS notifications on their online banking, so that any purchases or cash withdrawals can be detected immediately.
Source: Expressen