2017 Ciudad del Este robbery

The "Friendship Bridge" connects Ciudad del Este with Brazil

A military-style robbery of Prosegur’s office occurred in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay's border town to Brazil, on April 24, 2017.[1] The event has been termed “the robbery of the century” and “mega-robbery” by the media,[2][3] and is the “biggest heist in Paraguay’s history".[4]

In the night, about 50[3] to 80[2] heavily-armed robbers closed off the perimeter of the office with cars and, during a three-hour assault, were reportedly able to access at least one of the three vaults of the company. One police officer was killed, and several people were wounded.[1][3] The robbers were thought to have taken between 8 million to US$40 million.[3] According to Prosegur, US$8 million were missing from one vault.[4]

Authorities have assumed that the robbers came from and returned to Brazil where an apparent staging house was found across the border in Foz do Iguaçu. A subgroup of the robbers was reported to be intercepted in Itaipulandia resulting in a gun battle during which three suspects were killed and four arrested.[5] Additional suspects were arrested in Parana.[5] Paraguayan police suspects that the First Capital Command (PCC), a criminal Brazilian gang, may be behind the robbery.[4]

Several police chiefs of Ciudad del Este were fired after the robbery by the interior minister.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b "Army of 60 robbers gets away with spectacular heist in Paraguay". Fox News. April 24, 2017. Retrieved May 14, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c "Paraguay's interior minister fires police chiefs as hunt continues for Brazilian gang members behind 'robbery of the century'". The Telegraph. April 26, 2017. Retrieved May 14, 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d Bill Chappell (April 25, 2017). "'Mega-Robbery' In Paraguay: Dozens Reportedly Took Part In Violent Heist". NPR. Retrieved May 14, 2017.
  4. ^ a b c "Paraguay robbery: Huge Brazilian gang mounts multi-million-dollar raid on armoured car firm, four dead". ABC News. April 25, 2017. Retrieved May 14, 2017.
  5. ^ a b Nicole Chavez (April 25, 2017). "'Robbery of the century': 8 arrested in neighboring Brazil". CNN. Retrieved May 14, 2017.