Lisbon, Portugal – A massive operation to crack down on pickpocketing gangs in Lisbon has resulted in the recovery of millions of euros in cash and valuables, and the arrest of around 500 suspects, according to the police.
The operation, dubbed “Operation Pickpocket”, was launched in September 2023, after a surge in complaints from tourists and locals about being robbed by organized groups of thieves in the city’s most popular areas, such as Baixa, Chiado, Alfama, and Belém.
The police said that the pickpockets, who often operated in teams of two or three, used various techniques to distract and rob their victims, such as bumping into them, asking for directions, offering fake services, or pretending to be tourists themselves.
The police also said that the pickpockets were mostly foreigners, mainly from Eastern Europe, North Africa, and South America, who came to Portugal with the sole purpose of stealing. Some of them had criminal records in other countries, and some were even wanted by Interpol.
The police estimated that the pickpockets stole an average of 10,000 euros per day, amounting to more than 3 million euros in the last year. The stolen money and valuables, such as wallets, phones, watches, and jewelry, were either sent back to their countries of origin, or sold in the black market.
The operation involved more than 200 police officers, who conducted raids, searches, and arrests in various locations across the city, with the support of the judicial authorities and the immigration services. The police also used undercover agents, surveillance cameras, and informants to identify and track down the pickpockets.
The police said that the operation was a success, as it managed to dismantle several pickpocketing networks, and recover a large amount of cash and valuables, as well as weapons, drugs, and fake documents. The police also said that the operation had a positive impact on the security and tourism of the city, as it reduced the number of robberies and increased the confidence of the visitors.
The police added that the operation was not over yet, and that they would continue to monitor and prevent pickpocketing activities in the city, as well as cooperate with other countries to extradite the arrested suspects.
Source: https://www.cm-tv.pt