First thing I read in the Folha this morning: the cops are criminals.
Then I turn the page in the search for news that has some newness to it.
Most of the approximately 70 cases of theft and robbery of ATM machines so far this year in the state are, according to the state judicial political (PC) antimafia unit, being committed by a gang of 26 military police, most of them activity duty PMs.
On Saturday morning, 2 PMs were caught red-handed by the PC special ops unit, GOE, inside a Banco do Brasil branch in Jabaquara, in possession of explosives to be used to break into the machines..
A third PM, in uniform at the time and suspected of covering the operation, is also under arrest. This latter PM, says GOE, was providing updates on the location of PM patrol cars in the area of the bank being robbed.
Along with the 26 PMs, another 15 are also accused by DEIC in cases of ATM robberies.
Last week, a court order the 26 PMs detained. An ex-PM who is outside the jurisdiction at the moment is seen as the mastermind.
From May 1 to May 27, the Folha counted 16 cases of ATM robberies in the metro area alone. The wave of break-ins, which use jacks or explosivos, have led some business owners to deactivate their ATMs.
.They should think about the security of their wireless credit card processing, too. Paying with your cellphone is a media-driven fashion at the moment, which I think it is totally insane. The war drivers are everywhere.
The public square here by the house is a favorite spot for night shift PMs to party down with hookers, according to the guy, of unknown provenance and de facto authority, who actually patrols the neighborhood for a modest monthly fee. If I ever got into trouble, calling 190 would be the last thing I would want to be doing.
Filed under: Brazil, Life in Sambodia, Open Sources, Organized Crime | Leave a Comment »
