Six arrested over alleged violent theft ring targeting elderly people in Algarve

Six people have been arrested after a months-long investigation into an alleged organised crime group accused of carrying out violent robberies against elderly and vulnerable people in the Algarve.

The arrests were made during two police operations carried out on July 6 and 8 by the GNR’s Criminal Investigation Unit (NIC) in the municipalities of Olhão and Faro.

According to the GNR, investigators uncovered a group that allegedly targeted elderly and other vulnerable people, using violence to steal their belongings. The suspects are also accused of carrying out a number of burglaries.

During the operations, officers executed six arrest warrants, searched six homes and carried out five additional searches linked to the investigation.

The first operation resulted in the arrest of three men aged, two of them aged 19 and the other 23, while the second led to the detention of two men, aged 27 and 46, and a 44-year-old woman.

Three of the suspects have already appeared before a judge. The two 19-year-olds have been remanded in custody, while the 23-year-old has been ordered to report to police every day while the investigation continues.

The remaining three suspects are expected to appear before a judge to determine whether any restrictions will be imposed while the case proceeds.

The investigation involved officers from the GNR’s Faro Territorial Command, with support from the force’s wider criminal investigation units and the PSP.

Michael Bruxo

Journalist for the Portugal Resident.