Two individuals, a 22-year-old man and a 42-year-old woman, were arrested on Monday in Leiria on suspicion of committing several property crimes, including robbery, kidnapping, and card fraud involving guarantee cards or payment devices.
The Public Security Police (PSP) announced on Wednesday that the investigation commenced in October 2024. During that month, authorities learned that three suspects—two women and one man—had led a 62-year-old man to a public restroom in the city center.
Inside the restroom, the suspects stole the victim’s debit card and, under threat of life and physical integrity, coerced him into surrendering the card’s PIN.
Subsequently, one suspect remained with the victim in the restroom while the female suspects used the card to make cash withdrawals and purchase mobile phones. One of the women has now been arrested, while the other has been named a defendant and is subject to Identity and Residence Terms.
Months later, in February of the current year, the arrested woman and another female suspect approached a 31-year-old woman near the Municipal Pools of Leiria, attempting robbery with a knife threat.
The attempted robbery was thwarted when a third party intervened, preventing its completion, according to the PSP. The woman accompanying the recently arrested individual has also been named a defendant and is under Identity and Residence Terms.
More recently, on March 30 and April 1, the male suspect coerced a 15-year-old minor in the city center to return to his residence to hand over cash amounts totaling 125 euros.
The detainees have previous criminal records, with the man having been convicted in multiple aggravated robbery cases, while the woman has been convicted of attempted homicide.
Following a preliminary judicial hearing, the detainees have been remanded in custody and transferred to the Leiria and Tires Prisons.
