by Michael Hone
SÃO PAULO, Brazil – Police have arrested 10 members of a gang thought to be responsible for blasting open at least ten ATM machines around the São Paulo Metro area over the last 60 days. One of the members of the gang also stands accused of receiving a work by famed artist Pablo Picasso which was stolen from a São Paulo art gallery in 2008, reports CBN Radio.
The gang, which had stepped up the number of robberies this year, was busted in a police action Thursday night and in the early hours of Friday morning. According to police in Guarulhos, ongoing investigations indicated that the gang was going to attack an ATM in São Sebastião in the coastal region of São Paulo state.
Police monitored the gang as they left the city on their way to the planned attack. The gang left the capital around 7 pm Thursday night taking the Tamoios highway. Police put up a road block where they stopped three cars carrying the suspects. In a search of the vehicles police found two sticks of dynamite, two machine guns, five pistols and body armor.
Police say that alghough there are other gangs blasting open ATM machines in the city this one was was especially proficient and prolific. One of those arrested was João Batista Lopes Martins, known as Jotinha, an explosives expert who knew just how much explosive to use and where to put it.
There have been at least 44 ATM explosives robberies in the state of São Paulo this year. Police belive that this gang, although only charged with 10 of the robberies, was responsible for the majority of those. Police are hoping to pin more robberies on the gang.
Besides the 11 gang members arrested, police are still looking for three more. They are also investigating wether or not other police agencies or military units might have been involved providing security for the bandits.
Read also: More Articles from Brazil Dispatch
Brazilian online news source for this article: CBN Radio
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