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Man who leased houses that were not his own sentenced to prison in Leiria

A man has been sentenced to five years and nine months in prison for charges including fraud, document forgery, housebreaking, and property damage. The court ordered the seizure of 13,300 euros in his possession, and he was also directed to compensate two individuals with 2,700 euros for property damages.

The court’s decision reveals that during the summer of 2023, the 32-year-old defendant devised a scheme to obtain money under false pretenses by claiming to have leasing contracts for properties he neither owned nor controlled.

The plan involved locating vacant but furnished homes listed for sale and subsequently advertising them for rent. The man was apprehended in April 2024 in Nazaré by the National Republican Guard (GNR).

The fraudulent activities were executed by breaking into vacation homes, changing their locks, and listing them on the website Idealista with rental prices below market rates.

The court confirmed the man’s use of bogus rental agreements to convince prospective tenants of the legitimacy of the transactions. Rent payments were demanded in cash on the same day or shortly thereafter to avoid leaving a trail.

The crimes occurred in the municipalities of Alcobaça, Óbidos, Peniche, and Caldas da Rainha. He lacked any authority to access or lease these properties, gaining significant financial advantages illicitly.

Judges noted that the man’s actions misled victims into believing he was the rightful lessor or had familial ties to the property owners, making this fraudulent activity his sole means of support since he had no legitimate income.

João Marçal, the former commander of the Caldas da Rainha GNR Territorial Detachment, highlighted that the defendant exploited empty properties, changing locks and renting them out, sometimes leading to unsuspecting tenants occupying homes found occupied upon the owners’ return.

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