A 71-year-old man was arrested on September 12 for committing ten qualified thefts on Carris buses and trams in Lisbon since July this year.
The Public Security Police (PSP) reported that the man had previously been investigated and convicted of the same crime in 2020. At that time, he served a suspended sentence of one year and two months, and it was found that between 2020 and July 2022, he remained in Porto, where he was also arrested for theft from tourists.
In July this year, authorities noticed the suspect had returned to the capital and was once again engaging in thefts in the city.
On September 12, the Criminal Investigation Division team arrested the 71-year-old suspect aboard tram 15 on Avenida 24 de Julho in Lisbon.
The arrest occurred moments after the suspect “stole a Scottish tourist’s wallet containing money and all documents” from his shorts pocket. The wallet was recovered and returned.
The man’s ‘modus operandi’ was consistent. “He acted in a coordinated manner,” selecting victims, preferably tourists “leisurely riding Lisbon’s transport, following them, and then cleverly stealing their belongings.”
To do this, the suspect used his advanced age and dual nationality, as Brazilian and Italian, “to blend in among the victims.” Furthermore, the suspect used his nationality to commit crimes in various European countries, and he is currently “prohibited from traveling to France for committing thefts” there.
During a search of the room where the suspect stayed, “1,490 euros, two stolen mobile phones that were returned to their owners, and gold items worth 4,500 euros, purchased with stolen bank cards,” were seized, indicating the suspect might be linked to other crimes beyond theft.
The defendant was brought before the Lisbon Criminal Instruction Judge, who ordered that he remain in pre-trial detention awaiting trial.
