Every day, 200 elderly people are victims of crime.

BarcelonaThe vast majority are minor offenses, such as a petty theft suffered by an elderly person choosing fish at the market, who leaves their cart unattended, and a thief searches their pockets for valuables. Or cases where strangers offer to help carry shopping bags upstairs and, once inside the apartment, rummage through drawers. Every day in Catalonia, up to 200 senior citizens are victims of crime. Practically four out of ten incidents are thefts, without violence or intimidation. And two out of ten are scams.

According to the Mossos d'Esquadra's police activity report, last year ended with 79,140 complaints filed by people over 65, the age at which the Catalan police classify them as senior citizens. Victims over this age represent 13.4% of all those filing complaints in the country, and crimes against them have increased by 2.27% compared to 2023. Ana Hernández, head of the Mossos d'Esquadra's Central Proximity and Citizen Assistance Unit, points out that this does not mean that victims over this age represent 13.4% of all those filing complaints in the country, and that crimes against them have increased by 2.27% compared to 2023. Firstly, she notes that the increase in life expectancy means that those over 65 are increasingly This group is now larger – in 2024 they represented 19.54% of the population and in 2023, 19.35%, according to Idescat, an increase of 50,000 people in that age group in just one period. The head of the organization also adds that raising awareness of these crimes, through courses and training, can also lead to an increase in reports.

Jordi Muñoz, president and lawyer of EIMA, an association for the investigation of elder abuse, explains that in many cases we are talking about people who take advantage of the vulnerability of older people, as they are often more trusting. "Scams are growing dramatically," he warns. One of the most frequent is the "love scam," which preys on unwanted loneliness. "They gain the trust of people who feel lonely in order to obtain money or assets," Muñoz points out.

Environments with less malice

Regarding thefts, she points out that the fact that older people have grown up in an environment with less "malice," with stronger ties to their neighbors and more frequent interpersonal relationships, often plays a significant role. This can lead them to open their doors and let strangers in or not suspect someone who stops them on the street. Pensions are a key factor in thefts: thieves wait at ATMs on the day pensioners withdraw their money. And many withdraw it all at once, a practice uncommon among younger people. Cash is also the primary target for thieves when they break into a house. According to Muñoz, everything follows the same pattern: "They go after the most vulnerable." The same applies to purse and jewelry snatchings on the street, targeting people who can't defend themselves.

To prevent this, Corporal Hernández recommends several security measures. The first piece of advice—and it applies to everyone—is to keep a close eye on your belongings. The example of someone leaving a shopping cart unattended while they chat or choose their groceries is very common. It's also common for people to put their purse or wallet in that cart, something that should be avoided. The same goes for wallets: they should be kept in hard-to-reach places, and the back pocket of your pants is easily accessible. Along the same lines, avoid displaying cash when paying or withdrawing it from an ATM. "On pension days, be careful," she warns. They've also encountered elderly people who write their bank PIN on their credit card so they don't forget it, which makes it much easier for thieves. And cards should always be canceled if they've been stolen or lost.

Hugs and a gas check

As always, being suspicious is another key recommendation from the police. First and foremost, it's essential to be wary of physical contact with strangers. Pilar, for example, is 91 years old, and one day in a shop, out of nowhere, someone hugged her. She says she was certain it was a thief, so she clutched her purse tightly, but later realized that a medal she was wearing had been stolen. Similarly, one should also be suspicious of unexpected visitors to their home. An elderly couple in their 80s described how someone rang their doorbell claiming to be there to carry out a gas inspection. At first, they were suspicious, but when the person showed them an ID card, they let them in. Forty euros were stolen. However, the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police) warn that one should also be wary of great online offers, especially now that Christmas is approaching. This is also a time of year when scams increase, with malicious messages arriving via SMS or email. Among the most frequent are the scams involving the fake son with problems who asks for money or the delivery person who can't find your address.

In 2024, the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police) made 2,400 contacts related to senior citizens' organizations, including 474 training sessions with 15,064 attendees. That same year, people over 64 years of age also reported 4,724 burglaries (8.52% fewer than the previous year), 3,211 robberies with violence (1.45% more), and 7,783 property damage offenses (1.17% more). When discussing older people as victims, mistreatment must also be taken into account. As of May 31, 2025, the Mossos d'Esquadra had been monitoring 1,315 people over 65 years of age who had been victims of abuse and mistreatment. 69.5% of these victims had active court-ordered protection measures. A large majority of cases are domestic violence (939), followed by gender violence (301), sexual violence (48), hate and discrimination (7) and other types of sexist violence (20).