San Juan police officers investigated for $6 million theft during raid in Ullum
Three officers from the Western Investigation Brigade are being investigated for stealing $6 million from a house in Ullum during an alleged operation.
Three San Juan police officers under suspicion for house robbery in Ullum
Three men in civilian clothes who identified themselves as police officers entered a property on Route 60 in Ullum on the morning of Monday, 2 June, claiming they needed to conduct a search for weapons. Upon leaving, the homeowner—an elderly man—discovered that $6,000,000 he had been keeping in a piece of furniture had gone missing. This was reported by canal13sanjuan.com, citing a complaint filed that same day at the 15th Police Station.
According to the complaint, the three men climbed over the adjoining wall to enter the property. When the homeowner came out to ask what they were doing, they responded: "We are police officers," and told him they needed to search the house. They also warned him not to interfere with the procedure. At no time did they present identification or show a court order.
Vehicle registration proves key to the case
After the visitors left, the homeowner noted down the registration of the grey car in which they drove away. Verification of that licence plate proved decisive: the vehicle, a grey Renault Logan, was assigned to the Western Investigation Brigade of the San Juan Police, based in La Bebida, Rivadavia.
A family member who lives across the street from the property also recognised the vehicle when the suspects were leaving. The man approached the victim after the incident and confirmed it was the same grey Logan he had observed leaving the scene.
The case goes to Special Crimes
The complaint was filed that same Monday at the 15th Police Station. Initially, the investigation was taken on by the Property Crimes Unit, whose members took statements from both the victim and his family member. Once it was established that the registration belonged to a police vehicle, the coordinators of that unit forwarded the case file to prosecutor Iván Grassi of the Special Crimes Unit.
The Friday following the incident, Grassi led a raid on the headquarters of the Western Investigation Brigade. During the operation, the duty log and mobile phones of the officers under suspicion were seized, according to a report by Tiempo de San Juan.
Records would place officers in the area
Among the elements being analysed by the courts are records that would place members of the brigade in the Ullum and Zonda area on the day of the incident. Authorities are working to determine who participated in the alleged operation and to establish the whereabouts of the money.
To date, no arrests have been made. The identities of the officers under investigation have not been disclosed publicly, although the prosecution is said to have identified them.
Police headquarters orders internal changes
Alongside the criminal case, the San Juan Police headquarters ordered the transfer of the head of the Western Investigation Brigade and all personnel from the station. An administrative investigation has also been launched against those involved.
Until the time of this report, Police headquarters had not issued an official statement with details on the measures taken or on the procedural situation of the officers in question.
Source: Google News PR — San Juan