The suspects forcibly broke into high-value cars and falsified the documents needed to sell them to third parties
The Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP) has accused 40 defendants of high-value car theft and forgery of documents for subsequent sale at home and abroad between 2011 and 2016, the District Attorney General of Lisbon (PGDL) said on 18th December.
According to the PGDL, the 40 defendants are accused of crimes of criminal association, qualified and simple fraud, document falsification, destruction of objects, qualified theft, aggravated robbery, procession of a prohibited weapon and a qualified physical offense.
Although focusing on the Greater Lisbon area, activity also spread throughout the country, as well as Spain, France and Italy.
Of the 40 defendants, two are in pre-trial detention, seven are required to remain in the dwelling with electronic surveillance, and the remaining 40 are compulsory daily periodic presentation at the police station in the area of residence and / or Term of Identity and Residence (TIR).
The investigation was conducted by the Department of Research and Action (DIAP) of Lisbon with the support of the PSP.