The Rio Court granted, at the request of the Public Ministry of Rio de Janeiro (MPRJ), this Thursday (8), during a custody hearing, the conversion of the arrest in the act into preventive detention of two men who tried to steal a luxury car in Barra da Tijuca, southwest zone of Rio, last Tuesday (6). Arrested by police officers from the Gávea police station, they are identified as members of a gang that steals luxury cars to resell them to drug dealers in the Nova Holanda community, in Complexo da Maré, in the north zone.
During the custody hearing, the MPRJ requested the preventive detention of Fagner Yúri de Jesus Siqueira and Matheus Ferreira Vasconcelos, based on the seriousness of the crime committed and the concrete risk that the prisoners would commit car theft crimes again if they responded to the process when released. The court decided to prevent the pair from being detained, given the car thieves’ extensive criminal record.
According to Civil Police investigations, Fagner and Matheus are part of a criminal group that monitors luxury cars. Thefts are carried out using high-tech electronic devices, such as decoders and key emulators, which allow cars to be opened in a short space of time.
The stolen cars were sent to communities, where they were cloned. Subsequently, the vehicles were destined for Paraguay, used as currency for weapons and drugs or dismantled to feed the parallel market for parts.
According to the agents, the criminal faction itself trains the criminals, offering “courses” on opening and operating vehicles, as well as renting key decoders.
