Cell phone theft gang member arrested in Rio; see how the group works

An integrated action between five Civil Police departments and a Military Brigade service arrested Marlon Cunha da Silva, aged 22. Known as Estalo, he is a member of a gang that stole jewelry, money and cell phones in Barra da Tijuca, in the west zone of Rio de Janeiro. See the videos of the gang’s performance below.

With the suspect, a cell phone stolen on the 16th of this month from a tourist from Espírito Santo was found. He is temporarily detained and investigations seek to identify and capture other members of the group.

The arrest took place at the São Francisco Xavier Cemetery, in Caju, this Wednesday (19), during the burial of a member of the gang who died while trying to rob a military police officer.

Estalo would have provided a bus to take family members and residents of Cidade de Deus, in Jacarepaguá, to the cemetery — information that reached the agents.

On the 17th of this month, two members of the gang tried to steal belongings from the driver of a car on Estrada do Tindiba, in Jacarepaguá. The driver was a military police officer and shot the two men with firearms. The robber Paulo Júlio da Costa Santos died and Victor Hugo da Conceição Rodrigues, 23 years old, was arrested in the act.

The robberies happened more frequently on the beachfront and were recorded by security cameras. See images below.

Criminals target victims who are walking along the sidewalk and bike path or who are sitting in kiosks or other commercial establishments to steal their belongings, according to the Civil Police. After the robbery, they flee in support vehicles, cars or motorcycles.

In the last three months, around 20 incidents of this type were recorded in the 16th DP, according to Neilson Nogueira, delegate in charge of the case, in an interview with CNN . He points out that not all victims reported the robberies.

See the gang’s performance: