The Polícia Judiciária have arrested four more suspects as part of an investigation into a robbery at a jewelry store in Ponte de Lima. The detainees are accused of aggravated theft, criminal association, and document forgery.
An official statement from the PJ highlights that the investigation unearthed an organized, transnational criminal network comprising foreign nationals based in Spain. The network’s members, operating professionally and with high mobility, utilized fake identification documents to travel across various European countries, committing property crimes.
The methodology observed in Portugal involved acquiring vehicles and swiftly traveling across the country, collecting information and conducting surveillance on precious metal retail outlets and individuals visiting banks, according to the statement.
In 2024, multiple incidents were reported in northern Portugal, involving members of the group accessing bank branches.
The suspects discreetly monitored transactions by customers, focusing on those withdrawing large sums of money, and subjected them to surveillance and tracking.
Victims were subsequently approached in distractions, allowing the criminals to steal the withdrawn cash. A similar scenario unfolded inside jewelry stores, where the suspects posed as legitimate customers, distracted staff, stole valuable items, and fled.
With collaboration from the Spanish Guardia Civil and Policía Nacional, the PJ identified numerous suspects involved in the criminal network.
This year, both in Portugal and Spain, several European arrest warrants targeted elements of the criminal group, resulting in four arrests and the identification of a fifth suspect.
“Following the extradition of three individuals, currently, four men and one woman, all foreigners, are in preventive detention,” the statement reveals.
The PJ notes that investigations continue.
Recently, in connection with the same investigation, the PJ detained two individuals on charges of robbing “several tens of thousands of euros” from a company in Mire de Tibães, Braga, on October 24.
The PJ described the incident in a statement at the time, explaining the theft occurred as a company in the stall and events sector disbursed employee salaries on its premises.
Back in July, the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP) charged nine defendants with criminal association targeting jewelry store robberies in Alto Minho for theft, aggravated robbery, document forgery, and possession of illegal weapons.
 has formally charged nine individuals in connection with a criminal network involving jewelry store thefts in Alto Minho, with allegations of theft, qualified robbery, document forgery, and possession of a prohibited weapon.</p><p><small> Lusa | 11:09 – 11/07/2025 </small></p></div></div><div class=)
