A 43-year-old man was detained by the Lisbon Metropolitan Command of the Public Security Police (PSP), through the Sintra Police Division, on July 20, under a Detention Warrant issued by the Judicial Authority, for being suspected of several counts of aggravated theft in laundromats.
Details of the five incidents were shared by the PSP in a statement.
The first occurred on May 6, when the suspect went to a laundromat in Monte Abraão and, armed with a crowbar, broke into a payment machine, stealing about 600 euros in cash and causing damages estimated at around 2,500 euros.
On May 21, through the breaking into a food vending machine in a laundromat in the Agualva-Cacém area, the suspect inflicted losses valued at approximately 940 euros in stolen and damaged items.
The third incident took place on May 26, in the Queluz area, where the suspect went to another laundromat and, using the same method, stole about 400 euros from the payment machine.
On June 3, the suspect attempted to break into the safe of an establishment in the Algueirão – Mem Martins area. After several failed attempts, he left the scene, only damaging the safe.
The final incident occurred on June 22, in the Mem Martins area, when the suspect entered a laundromat, broke into two restricted-access doors, accessed the safe using a screwdriver, and stole approximately 389.30 euros, along with a box containing about 200 euros in cash.
The police’s efforts led to the identification of the suspect and the charge of five counts of aggravated theft, resulting in his detention outside of any immediate criminal act.
The detainee was taken to the detention cells of the PSP’s Lisbon Metropolitan Command and presented to the Judicial Authority, where the measure of preventive detention was applied.
