The Civil Guard has arrested a 20-year-old Romanian national in the Valencian town of Moncada as the alleged perpetrator of a series of robberies and thefts committed at ATMs against elderly people. The investigation currently attributes thirteen property crimes to him, committed between April 2025 and May 2026 in various municipalities within the provinces of Valencia and Alicante.
Affected towns include Sant Joan d'Alacant, Alicante, and Sax, as well as El Puig, Puzol, Tavernes de la Valldigna, Cullera, Benifaió, and Moncada. The Civil Guard's investigation remains open to locate potential new victims and clarify other similar incidents that may have occurred in different parts of the country.
The detainee allegedly used the known 'broken ATM' or ATM distraction method. This technique involves creating confusion for the victim during a banking transaction by simulating a technical fault or breakdown at the terminal. At that moment, the perpetrator manipulates the ATM's surroundings, partially obscuring the keypad or cash dispenser with flyers, newspapers, or other documents, to make cash withdrawals without the affected person immediately realizing it.
According to the investigation, the incidents primarily occurred around dates coinciding with pension payments, social benefits, or payrolls, times when the presence of elderly people in banks increases. Investigators identified a common pattern in the complaints: elderly victims, ATM transactions, the use of a cap and mask to hinder identification, and thefts of amounts close to 900 euros.
The arrest took place on June 10 during a surveillance operation near a bank in Moncada. Officers observed an individual whose characteristics matched those of the investigated suspect interacting with an elderly person operating an ATM. The Civil Guard intervened immediately and arrested the man as he allegedly had just made an unauthorized withdrawal of 900 euros.
Following the arrest, the Civil Guard facilitated information exchange with various territorial units and other police forces. As a result of these efforts, twelve counts of theft and one count of robbery with violence and intimidation have been clarified so far.
The investigation was carried out by agents from the Main Post of Moncada. The proceedings have been handed over to the Civil and Instruction Section of the Court of Moncada.
