Romanian couple in front of German judges after stealing luxury watches from elderly people. What method were they using?
A Romanian couple appeared before the court in Düsseldorf, Germany, accused of theft and bodily harm. According to the authorities, their victims were elderly people who could not defend themselves effectively when their luxury watches were snatched from their wrists.
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According to investigators, between May 2022 and September 2023, the two acted in several cities in Germany — Stuttgart, Ulm, Baden-Baden, Karlsruhe, Koblenz, Düsseldorf, Essen and Lübeck, writes Bild.
They targeted wealthy areas or golf club car parks, where they attacked elderly people on the street.
David D. usually stayed in the car while Corina D. approached the victims, speaking to them in English, trying to hug them, at which point she would rip off their watches, often without them immediately realizing it.
A 75-year-old man from Essen told the court:
“I was walking down the street when she asked me if I had a job for her. Then he touched my crotch with one hand and grabbed my wrist with the other. When I jumped in fright, he ran away. I only realized he had stolen my Rolex when I got to the car.”
The police estimate that the two committed 16 robberies, targeting luxury watches with a total value of approximately 500,000 euros. They sold the goods in pawn shops. DNA traces left at the crime scene led to their identification, and after phone monitoring, they were arrested in Romania and extradited to Germany.
On Wednesday, through their lawyers, the two admitted most of the facts.
“My client deeply regrets what he has done“said lawyer Matthias Meier. The trial will continue until the end of November.
