Mossos d'Esquadra officers arrested a 47-year-old man on 29 April in Viladecans, Baix Llobregat, on suspicion of two counts of fraud and theft. The man allegedly posed as a gas inspector to gain the trust of elderly women and enter their homes.
Once inside, he would pretend to carry out inspections, charging cash for these fake services. He would then use any distraction to steal valuables and money from the residents, according to the Catalan police.
Identifying the Suspect
The police's Investigation Unit linked the arrested man to two specific incidents in Viladecans. The first occurred on 17 March, when the suspect entered the home of an 86-year-old woman. After charging her €80 for a false inspection, he stole several pieces of jewellery.
Subsequent investigation helped identify the man and recover the stolen jewellery, which had already been sold to a gold exchange shop in Barcelona, police said. In the second incident, on 25 March, the victim was an 83-year-old woman. In this case, the man reportedly used a distraction to steal an envelope containing her pension, a total of €700 in cash.
Police located and arrested the suspect in Gavà. He has 13 previous arrests, many of them for thefts using the fake inspector method. He has since appeared before the Duty Court.
