Reporting: Makis Synodinos

A new method was devised by astute people in order to steal from unsuspecting citizens money, even the jewelry they wear.

The new method is called the “hug method” and the victims are mainly the elderly. The thieves… “jugglers”, most of whom are women, after spotting the old man, follow him and when they find the right opportunity… “hit”.

Pretending to know the old man, they hug him and before he can realize what is happening, they steal his wallet from his pocket or the jewelry he wears around his neck.

There are many complaints to the police departments of Attica, while spider women have recently been striking in the province as well, with the latest incident in Kozani, where a 23-year-old woman using the hugging method removed from the neck of an 82-year-old woman a gold cross with a gold chain worth approx. 1,000 euros.

When the 82-year-old realized what had happened to her, she reported the incident to the authorities and the perpetrator was arrested, as she was marked.

The nightmare he experienced is described to Skai.gr by a 74-year-old victim in the northern suburbs of Athens.

“It was about 10 in the morning, I had left the coffee shop and was going to the neighborhood grocery store to do some shopping before going home. Because I have a problem with my legs, I walk slowly and carry a cane. At some point I see a car stop next to me. A woman in her 40s gets out of the passenger seat and says to me “what’s up… How long do I have to see you”.

Before I can figure out who she is, if I know her and what she wants, she’s hugging me.

“Girl, who are you, I don’t know you” I told her.

Then she leaves me and tells me ‘I thought you were Mr. George, I was wrong’. He got into the car and drove off.

When I got to the grocery store I shopped and when I went to pay I realized he had grabbed my wallet from my right jacket pocket.

I called my son and we reported to the police what happened to me.

Two days later they called me from the department, they showed me photos and I recognized her. He had also stolen others, the policeman told me.”