Two simultaneous operations were carried out in the center and northeast of Medellín against the theft and illegal sale of cell phones.
Coordinated by Metropolitan Police Intelligence personnel and supported by the Sectional Prosecutor’s Office, three search warrants were executed that allowed the capture of three people, in addition to the seizure of 122 stolen equipment, three firearms, a traumatic weapon and 40 doses. of marijuana. The latter, apparently, as part of another illegal business: drug dealing.
“We have a reward of up to $20 million for violent thefts, which is given in many cases by cell phone. We are in the center of Medellín, because it is a prioritized site by all the authorities. Soon we will see more cameras and safe areas, with a greater presence and professionals from the mayor’s office generating an articulated job for security”, said the Secretary of Security and Coexistence, Brigadier General José Gerardo Acevedo Ossa.
In a week of investigation and thanks to citizen information, in a first action the authorities arrested two brothers. This occurred in a house in Santa Cruz, where they found 100 pieces of equipment, six of them registered for theft. The remaining 94 were missing parts and were made available to the competent authority. In addition, three firearms, one traumatic, and 40 doses of marijuana were found on the site.
According to the investigation, these people sold the devices in the basement of the Metro (Prado).
recent cases
Regarding the murder of a teacher, which occurred this weekend for stealing her mobile phone, the Deputy Commander of the Metropolitan Police, Colonel José Miranda, pointed out that this fact led to two arrests and the apprehension of a minor.
“This is the product of a good reaction in this murder case. For this reason, we also deploy these actions in two residences and a commercial premises, where the recovery of these 122 cell phones is achieved. Elements that were used for theft, firearms and drugs are also seized. They bought them to be sold as new,” said Colonel José Miranda.
The criminals were found a “Flash” box, which erases the IMEI certificates to sell the equipment without traces of theft. According to the authorities, this technology is acquired on the black market and is valued at $8 million.
In another operation, the authorities captured in flagrante delicto a 29-year-old woman known by the alias “Yura”, accused of receiving the crime, who had 22 cell phones, five with reports of theft, six without reports and 11 in cell phones ( housings and equipment with missing spare parts). This was possible after two search and search procedures in the Prado Centro neighborhood and in a commercial premises, also in the La Candelaria commune.
According to the investigation, this woman was engaged in the purchase and sale of equipment, took it home, modified the IMEI and, later, sold it in a well-known shopping center in commune 10.
“Actions have been carried out in an articulated way in which the recovery of this equipment is achieved. It is also a call for people to continue providing us with this information and so that, please, we do not buy cell phones of dubious origin, so that we avoid cases as unfortunate as that of the murdered teacher,” added the sectional director of the Prosecutor’s Office, Ricardo Rosemary.
The year 2022 left a balance of 1,372 arrests for theft of cell phones, 2,857 of these devices were recovered and 543 more seized in different actions.
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