A 48-year-old man and a 46-year-old woman were arrested on Thursday by the Guarda Nacional Republicana (GNR) for crimes of robbery and fraud targeting the elderly in the area of Esposende. They have been placed in pre-trial detention.
The GNR stated that their investigation into the suspects began in April, revealing that their modus operandi was based on the so-called ‘pigeon drop’ scam.
“The fraudsters posed as relatives or acquaintances of the victims and, under the pretense of opening a gold buying and selling shop, asked to photograph gold objects that the victims carried or kept in their homes,” the statement read.
Once in possession of the gold items, “the con artists deceived the victims, aged between 76 and 94 years, by returning other items to them.” Only later did the victims realize they had been duped.
The GNR reported that the crimes took place in the municipalities of Barcelos, Esposende, Guimarães, Vila Verde, and Vila Nova de Famalicão.
The suspects were arrested after “committing a snatch robbery in the town of Mar, in the Esposende municipality.”
The GNR further noted it was possible to link the suspects to other snatch thefts in public areas. Seized were two mobile phones, 150 euros in cash, a camera, gold items, a shotgun, a rifle, a pistol, 157 rounds of ammunition of various calibers, and several items used to deceive the elderly.
The detainees, who were brought before the Guimarães Judicial Court, have had pre-trial detention imposed as a coercive measure.
