The Lisbon Judiciary Police have asked European and South American authorities to help catch an armed robber fleeing Portugal after his accomplice died on August 25.
The pair, identified by detectives as Brazilian nationals, allegedly targeted a wealth manager and a real estate agent at gunpoint on Avenida de Berlim in Lisbon, stealing luxury items worth around 100,000 euros.
Following the robbery, the wealth manager chased the fleeing pair in his vehicle and rammed them, resulting in the death of one robber at the scene.
Police recovered almost all of the stolen valuables at the scene of the collision, including two Rolex watches, a gold chain, and three gold bracelets. Only a luxury watch belonging to the female victim remains unrecovered.
International Police Hunt
Investigators from the Lisbon Directorate of the Judiciary Police have identified both men involved in the hold-up. Police sources confirmed to Correio da Manhã, following an initial report by Diário de Notícias, that the suspects belong to an organized crime syndicate with South American roots.
Detectives believe the risk of the surviving suspect and potential accomplices escaping national territory is increasingly strong. The emergency appeal issued to foreign police forces aims to confirm the identities of all suspects and secure their arrests.
Background on Luxury Robbery Syndicates
The Judiciary Police, officially known as the Polícia Judiciária, serves as Portugal's national criminal investigation agency under the Ministry of Justice. Avenida de Berlim, where the incident took place, is a major avenue in eastern Lisbon connecting the city center with the airport area.
Portuguese prosecutors have long recognized that organized crime groups operate within the country, particularly across the Lisbon and Porto metropolitan areas. The Public Prosecutor's Office has opened numerous criminal investigations into violent luxury property thefts, which have previously led to heavy prison sentences.
Luxury watch theft has become a recurring issue across major European metropolitan regions. High-value timepieces made by prominent Swiss watchmakers such as Rolex are frequently targeted by organized criminal gangs for rapid resale on global secondary markets.
Lisbon detectives continue to work alongside foreign law enforcement agencies to locate the surviving suspect and retrieve the remaining stolen watch.
