The Guardia Civil has arrested two men, aged 31 and 32, for allegedly mugging elderly people in Torrevieja and the nearby district of La Mata. Following their arrest, the judicial authorities have ordered that both individuals be remanded in provisional prison.
The investigation was launched after a series of violent thefts, known as “tirones” or snatch thefts, were detected between March and May. The victims were targeted by surprise whilst they were walking on public roads.
The perpetrators acted unexpectedly and used force to rip off the necklaces and jewellery worn by their victims. On some occasions, the suspects even caused injuries of varying severity during the incidents.
Enquiries conducted by officers from the Torrevieja Main Post of the Guardia Civil linked the suspects to four separate robberies carried out in March, April and May 2026. The victims of these crimes were aged between 75 and 93 years old, as confirmed by the Guardia Civil in an official statement.
Investigators established that the suspects regularly travelled from other municipalities into Torrevieja and La Mata to carry out the thefts, specifically focusing their activities on areas heavily frequented by older residents.
Public cooperation and police enquiries eventually led to the location of the property where the perpetrators were hiding. The analysis of the gathered evidence, alongside various witness statements, proved vital in identifying the suspects.
During one of the thefts, which took place on 1st May, one of the perpetrators was caught and arrested just minutes after the incident whilst still in possession of a broken chain he had just snatched from an elderly person.
According to the police investigation, the pair worked in a coordinated manner. Whilst one individual acted as a lookout and selected potential targets, the other carried out the physical theft using sudden snatches, pushing and shoving to seize the jewelry. The stolen items were later destined for sale on the illicit market.
As part of the operation, officers successfully recovered various items of jewellery linked to the investigated crimes, which have now been returned to their rightful owners.
The two arrested men were brought before the duty court at the Torrevieja Court of First Instance, which subsequently ordered their detention in provisional prison.
