A group of young individuals, including a minor, was apprehended by the Public Security Police after months of creating “terror” in Oeiras, where they were reported to “threaten and intimidate” couriers.
During their initial judicial interrogation, four of the suspects were remanded in custody, while the last was required to report daily to authorities. The ages of the suspects range from 15 to 19 years.
The Lisbon Metropolitan Command of the Public Security Police (Cometlis) reported that the youths had committed “dozens of robberies against couriers”, a situation escalating since the end of February.
The authorities detailed in a note that the youths acted “with a high degree of premeditation”. The targets were couriers working for “electronic meal delivery platforms,” and the suspects “placed fictitious orders to lure couriers to poorly lit predetermined areas,” according to Cometlis.
“At the delivery moment, the group would ambush the victims, using violence in the form of physical force, causing injuries that often required urgent medical care,” Cometlis detailed, adding that in some instances, “the perpetrators heightened the crime’s severity by using knives to threaten and intimidate the couriers, thus facilitating the theft of goods.”
The investigation revealed that in several instances, the suspects “waited for the courier to complete the delivery to surprise them when they resumed their route, taking advantage of the victim’s vulnerability,” according to Cometlis.
What was taken?
Beyond the violence used, the suspects stole various valuable items. “Cash amounts, mobile phones, and the motorcycles used by the victims for professional purposes were stolen,” Cometlis explained.
The authorities noted that the “quick response of the police” led to the recovery of all motorcycles, “either on the same day or in the days immediately following the crimes.”
“During the robberies, some group members concealed their identities using balaclavas, showing a deliberate intention to hinder their identification and align with an organized operation,” added Cometlis.
The crimes created “a climate of fear and insecurity among the courier community, many of whom expressed anxiety about continuing their activities in certain areas of the Oeiras municipality.”
“The local population also expressed growing concern, as the robberies occurred in residential areas, causing social alarm and a feeling of insecurity,” Cometlis further noted.
