A man was taken into custody in Campos dos Goytacazes on Thursday afternoon following a brazen theft and an elaborate attempt to evade capture. The suspect allegedly stole a television from a store in the city center and employed a unique strategy to avoid being identified by changing his clothing between different shops.
According to witnesses, the man was carrying a backpack containing several different shirts. He reportedly changed his top at each store he visited in an effort to make it difficult for security personnel and witnesses to recognize him as the same individual involved in the initial crime.
The incident began when the suspect first entered a store on the Calçadão da Rua João Pessoa in the morning and attempted to leave with a television without paying. That initial attempt was unsuccessful. He then moved to a second store in the same commercial area, where he successfully managed to steal the television set.
Hours later, the suspect made a critical error by returning to the first store where he had failed earlier. He attempted to commit another theft at the same location. This time, store employees were prepared and physically restrained him until security forces could arrive on the scene.
Members of the Municipal Guard (Guarda Civil Municipal) were conducting routine patrols in the area when they were alerted by employees of the retail chain. The store manager provided a description and details of the morning's attempted theft and the successful theft from the neighboring establishment.
Upon arresting the suspect, the man denied any involvement in the crimes. However, evidence found inside his backpack contradicted his claims. Officers discovered the specific shirt he had been wearing at the time of the television theft, linking him directly to the crime scene.
Teams from the "Segurança Presente" security program were also called to provide support during the incident. The suspect was subsequently transported to the 134th Police Station in the city center, where the case was formally registered as both theft and attempted theft. He remains in custody pending further legal proceedings.
Based on reporting from g1.