Again elderly robbed on the street, ‘Fleet Hugge the Vijtsallen’

The story of the 86-year-old man is the same as Joke’s. He is approached by a woman, stopped and touched. Only later does it become clear that jewelry is gone.

The police speak of ‘cuddle thefts’. “Often older, sometimes vulnerable victims are approached by one or more people who distract things and make their way.” This usually happens in a very friendly way where the victim is touched unsolicited. “In this way the victim is robbed of his or her valuables or money.”

It is Wednesday morning around half-twalf when the 86-year-old man parks his car in a garage. “He is approached by a young lady between 20 and 30 years old. She hugged my father, grabbed his hands and rubbed his face, “says his daughter.

The woman then pushed the elderly man into his garage. But that failed and the woman ran away. “Inside of the house my father only realized that the ring was gone. And later he realized that the chain with the wedding ring of his wife, who died 16 years ago, had disappeared. ”

“My father is completely off the path now. He is devastated and has a feeling of guilt. He just wonders how he was able to kick in here, “says the daughter. “This is robbery and assault. It’s really bothering me. “

The police have since been reported, but there is no trace to the perpetrator or perpetrators. The police say that the robberies in Helmond and Valkenswaard cannot be linked directly to each other because, among other things, the description is different. They don’t want to speak of a gang that is active in the region.

Yet the story from Valkenswaard is almost a copy of the story of 74-year-old Joke. He was robbed of her rings, bracelet and chain on Friday afternoon at the cemetery in Helmond. Her way was blocked and without realizing it, she was robbed of her jewelry. That caused panic and sadness, because it was about jewelry she had received from her deceased husband.

Wednesday she told in tears what had happened to her and what the consequences are. “I am sad and angry. I don’t get this processed, I am devastated. I have been taking care of my husband’s grave for almost 28 years, but now I am neglecting him. I just don’t dare to go to the cemetery anymore. “

The police can do very little at the moment. “Because it often happens quickly, the atmosphere seems very friendly and victims sometimes only later realize that they are robbed, this is very difficult to prevent,” says a spokesperson. “Our advice to people is to stay vigilant when people get too close to, with strange excuses to ask for help or try to distract you in a different way.”