Man arrested with 60 grams of hashish in Miranda during operation against 'affection' thieves
The Local Police of Miranda arrested a man with 60 grams of hashish while searching for a group of women suspected of robbing elderly people.
Arrest for hashish in Miranda during operation against theft from elderly
According to Google News ES — Crime (es), a patrol of the Local Police of Miranda intercepted a man yesterday on La Estación street when officers were identifying a group of women with suspicious behaviour. The operation had begun at 10.30 hours following a report of alleged theft attempts in the area.
While the police proceeded to identify the women—finding no suspicious items in their possession—a man passed behind the checkpoint releasing a strong smell of hashish. One of the officers stopped him and carried out a superficial search.
The discovery and arrest
Around 50 grams of hashish were found in the left pocket of the suspect's trousers. A further 10 grams of the same substance were found distributed in two parts inside his rucksack, the larger portion concealed inside a packet of tissues. All of the substance was weighed and documented.
In addition to the hashish, officers confiscated cash from him: 300 euros kept in his bank book and 25 euros in his wallet. The detainee acknowledged at the scene that he had just withdrawn 620 euros from a cash machine and had spent half of that amount on purchasing the substance. At 10.40 hours he was arrested as a suspected perpetrator of an offence against public health.
The 'affection' thieves, the initial reason for the operation
The arrest, apparently routine, took place as part of an operation aimed at locating a group of women who allegedly attempted to distract elderly people in public to steal jewellery or belongings from them. The operation was conducted between numbers 14 and 70 on La Estación street.
This type of practice, known as theft by 'affection' thieves, has become increasingly prevalent in the area in recent months. It is a modus operandi in which the perpetrators gain the trust of victims—typically elderly people—and then, after an embrace or similar gesture, quickly steal valuable items from them.
In early summer, an elderly resident of Miranda reported having been deceived by a group with these characteristics at the entrance to a perfumery on the same La Estación street. According to the victim's testimony, she experienced some form of chemical incapacitation, lost her will and nearly spent a large sum of money on products that the women directed her to buy. It was staff from the establishment who noticed the anomalous situation and alerted the Local Police.
At around the same time, three complaints were filed with the National Police against the alleged 'affection' thieves linked to these incidents.
Source: Google News ES — Crime (es)