Highway robbers dressed as policemen targeted foreign holidaymakers in Madrid
Wednesday, December 7, 2016 @ 9:46 AM
A GANG posing as police officers to rob foreign tourists has been broken up in Madrid, with eight individuals arrested and six vehicles seized.
The thieves targeted holidaymakers in the vicinity of hotels and motorways in the Greater Madrid region and at the airport, dressed as police officers with fake ID badges, and are said to be the largest and most prolific in recent history.
They would target tourists who appeared to have money or valuables in their luggage or about their person, and who appeared not to know the area very well.
The victims were mainly stopped in hired cars, frequently on the A-1 and A-4 motorways.
On the pretext of searching their vehicles for drugs or stolen goods, the bogus policemen pulled the holidaymakers over, showing them their ID badges and requesting their passports and wallets.
They took cash from the tourists' purses, claiming it was counterfeit, and watches and mobile phones, saying they bore resemblance to stolen items.
The offenders would also wrench jewellery and personal effects from the victims before making a run for it.
Investigating officers said the eight men wore caps with sewn-on badges bearing the Spanish flag and the word España, alongside plaques or badges which turned out to have been bought from toy stores.
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