Spanish National Police in Castilla y León have arrested eight suspected offenders for “hurto amoroso”, a street theft scheme that targets older people, according to police. The operation, coordinated from the Valladolid police headquarters, has been running across towns in the region this year. Police carried out about a hundred checks and identified 70 people. Officers said the suspected groups approach victims on the street using a false pretext, pretending to know them. They allegedly close physical distance quickly, hugging and maintaining constant contact to keep older victims distracted. Police say the suspects typically steal valuables such as watches, purses and necklaces. Victims can hesitate to report what happened, which police linked to delay and, in some cases, victims not telling their families. National Police also said it has staged work involving police judicial units in plain clothes to locate offenders before they strike, alongside uniformed officers conducting preventive controls. The force’s “Participación Ciudadana” team has held talks in residents’ associations and care homes, warning older people how to avoid becoming victims and urging them to report incidents. The arrests relate to a suspected organised, itinerant pattern of theft. Police said the latest activity is continuing, with the device already producing 8 arrests this year.