Rolex gangs in Portugal inspire new criminal groups following spate of robberies
The success of the "Rolex gangs" in Portugal has led to the emergence of new criminal groups. A robber died after being struck by the vehicle of his own victim during a getaway.
Rolex gangs multiply in Portugal after wave of robberies
The success of the so-called "Rolex gangs" in Portugal has served as inspiration for the emergence of new groups of criminals dedicated to the theft of luxury watches, according to Jornal de Notícias, cited by Google News PT.
The criminal trend gained recent prominence following an incident in Lisbon in which a suspect in watch robberies died during a robbery—struck by the vehicle of the driver who had been the victim of the crime. The victim pursued the robber by car, collided with him, and the man ended up dying at the scene.
The case now raises legal questions about the responsibility of the driver, who is described as the owner of substantial property holdings, according to Correio da Manhã.
According to Observador, the situation leaves open what may happen legally to the driver involved in the robber's death—whether he acted in self-defence or whether he could face criminal charges for what occurred.
The phenomenon of gangs specialising in high-end watches has been intensifying in Portugal, with authorities monitoring the emergence of cells that replicate methods already used by previous groups, attracted by the high value of targets and the relative ease of reselling the pieces on the black market.
Source: Google News PT