Lisbon's PSP police have detained five foreign pickpockets suspected of being part of a highly sophisticated and organized transnational criminal network. The arrests took place in Belém, with the suspects now in preventive custody.
The operation unfolded in Praça do Império, where four of the pickpockets were seen following a tourist. The victim was targeted near the Padrão dos Descobrimentos, where two women blocked her path while two men stole her wallet from behind.
PSP's special unit (F3C), dedicated to combating such crimes, witnessed the act and followed the suspects. They were intercepted as they attempted to flee in a rented car, driven by a fifth accomplice. Inside the vehicle, police found a 'touchpad' with a bank card reader, used for immediate monetary transactions with stolen cards.
One suspect managed to withdraw €1,200 from an ATM using the victim's cards before being caught. The money was recovered and returned to the tourist.
The group's modus operandi revealed a high level of sophistication, including the use of rental cars for quick getaways and advanced technology for financial fraud. Only two of the detainees had prior records for similar thefts, with the other three having recently arrived in Lisbon.
All five suspects were presented for judicial interrogation and remain in preventive detention, awaiting trial.
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