Two women, aged 21 and 24, were arrested for residential theft in flagrante delicto in the Lumiar district of Lisbon on August 20 at 1:50 PM.
Officers of the Public Security Police (PSP) were alerted during a foot patrol when the apartment alarm in a residential building was triggered by the building’s porter.
“The officers promptly detected two women with suspicious behavior, particularly attempting to discard possessions in their possession,” stated the PSP in their press release, noting that the women were intercepted while trying to flee the building.
The discarded items were equipment the suspects used to open the apartment door, “materials to conceal their identities, and a box containing various jewelry items.”
“The door was found open, with the lock cylinder dismantled on the floor, and the apartment’s interior rummaged,” the statement continued.
The suspects reportedly exploited the homeowner’s absence, as he was on vacation, to enter and steal from the apartment.
The homeowner confirmed the contents of the box when contacted by authorities and decided to pursue criminal charges, promptly visiting a nearby police station to file a complaint.
“The belongings were later returned to the rightful owner,” added the PSP in their report.
Upon further investigation, authorities confirmed that the two detainees were involved in an international network dedicated to residential burglaries.
The day after the arrest, both suspects appeared for an initial hearing, and measures coercing them to remain identified and prohibiting them from leaving the country were imposed.
