American Tourist Cuts Short Trip to Brazil After Being Robbed by Policeman

Levi Shabtai, 64, an American tourist traveling in Brazil was robbed by a policeman and a former prison guard in Belo Horizonte, the capital of the southeastern Brazilian state or Minas Gerais.

Shabtai was carrying US$ 7,200 in cash plus US$ 2,500 in traveller’s checks. All of his money was taken.

The tourist born in Israel, was robbed on Thursday, October 26. Less than 24 hours later, he was already on a plane flying back home to the United States. He had been only three days in Brazil when he was assaulted and robbed.

In his deposition to the police, the US citizen said that he had just left the office of a friend and was going to the bank to exchange dollars when he was approached by two men who didn’t seem to carry any weapon.

According to him, the men identified themselves as policemen and even presented an ID to prove it. He kept walking, however, since he had no idea what was happening.

The two men followed him  and ended up holding and tying him up with shackles  to the bars of a building. The tourist would only be freed more than 10 minutes later. The crime occurred in an upscale neighborhood of Belo Horizonte known as Funcionários.

Kennedy Mendes da Silva and Josias Manoel Delfino are in jail now after being arrested by military policemen patrolling the Palácio da Liberdade, Minas government’s headquarters.

Both suspects were recognized by the American tourist as well as by witnesses who not only saw the robbery, but also helped police chase the criminals. Despite having been caught red handed, Silva and Delfino in their deposition at the police station, denied having done anything against the American  

Court reports show that detective Silva had been sentenced for drug trafficking and his accomplice, former jailer Delfino also had been sent to jail for homicide. No one had served time however.

The Belo Horizonte’s civilian police said that the police’s review board is investigating why Silva and Delfino were not behind bars. Both men have been locked now at the Minas Gerais’s Deoesp (State Office for Special Operations).

Paulo Roberto Mayrinques, police chief at the Vespasiano’s police station, where both criminals should be jailed, has been fired. The new police chief is Elias Oscar de Oliveira.

Tags:

You May Also Like

Brazil Pushes for Urgent and Aggressive Free Trade Talks With Arabs

Led by Brazil the Mercosur wants to return to free trade treaty talks with ...

RAPIDINHAS

Considered by some one of the best Brazilian painters, Cândido Portinari has also been ...

Brazil Already Getting Energy from LatAm’s Largest Wind Park

The first phase of the wind energy park, which produces energy with the force ...

Tender Brazil: a Government Subsidy to Help 16 Million Living in Abject Poverty

This is no austerity program. Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff went on television and radio ...

Haiti Getting Candy and Water from Brazil

Sugar mill owners and business leaders in the states of Paraí­ba and Pernambuco, Brazil, have ...

Domestic News Brings Brazil Market Down

Brazil and Latin America moved lower on the session, as investors focused more on ...

Landscapes of Hunger in Brazil

Maria Cicera is not assisted by any government program because officially she does not ...

In Brazil, Women Have Better Schooling than Men, But Worse Wages

Brazilian women conquered more space on the labor market in 2003 and surpassed men ...

Brazil Forecasts 4.5% GDP Growth and 4% Inflation for Next Three Years

Brazil’s Minister of Planning, Budget, and Management, Paulo Bernardo, affirmed yesterday that the 2006 ...

Investors Keep Fleeing in Droves from Brazil

Latin American stocks were down sharply today on continued fears that U.S. inflation and ...