On 12th February 2014 at 1430 hrs just before closing time, two masked men entered the Finances Department offices in Loulé and fled with money from a cashier. The men were reported to be wearing gloves in addition to masks.
Apart from panic among staff and customers at the time there were no injuries. The amount taken has not been disclosed.
The GNR responded but the culprits had fled. The investigation has been handed over to the Judicial Police.
On 10 February, at 19.00 hrs, the PSP Police Criminal Investigation unit of Portimão arrested a foreign citizen age 16, for possession / trafficking of narcotics and suspected thefts in several residences.
In recent weeks the unit has been investigating some burglaries in homes during the daytime where the culprits broke in by scaling walls, particularly at dwellings located on ground floors. This included surveillance in a number of areas.
The detainee, along with three other young people aged between 16 and 17, were approached after acting suspiciously in a residential area in Portimão. So far it has been able to link them to four thefts during recent weeks.
When the suspects were detained 59 doses of hashish and a weapon were seized, as well as recovering a number of stolen items such as mobile phones, play stations, cameras, a laptop, a hard drive, an MP4, various jewellery and watches.
The GNR in conjunction with Microsoft Portugal will be marking the European Safer Internet Day on 11th February with more than 700 training sessions throughout the country, aimed at the educational community (students, teachers, parents and carers) with the aim of raising awareness of the need for safety and awareness in the use of the internet.
On 11th and throughout the week, these sessions will be conducted by 311 officers of the GNR School liaison program and more than 200 volunteers from Microsoft, targeting more than 30,000 students from elementary and secondary education in more than 200 schools nationwide.
It is intended to stimulate learning about the dangers of the online world and as well as encouraging safe Internet use, in its different dimensions: navigation, communication and socialization, accountability and protection of personal data.
On 4th and 5th February the GNR Nature and Environment Unit (SEPNA), in coordination with Criminal Investigation units, conducted enforcement action throughout the country, concerning the ownership/registration of dogs, with particular focus on breeds considered dangerous or potentially dangerous.
A total of 1004 checks were made resulting in 496 contravention notices being served (133 to 363 potentially dangerous breeds and other breeds respectively), also resulting in the seizure of five animals.
Regarding potentially dangerous breeds of dogs, the most frequent offenses were: lack of registration, license or expired license, lack of sterilization; housing conditions without security and lack of valid liability insurance.
With regard to other breeds, most offenses were related to: lack of detention, possession and movement license, lack of registration, lack of rabies vaccination and lack of electronic identification – chip.
Investigations have been launched after a report in the Mail on Sunday (9th February 2014) that thousands of confidential files with details of Barclays Bank customers had been stolen and sold.
The Mail on Sunday said a database of information on up to 27,000 customers was sold to “unscrupulous brokers”.
It reportedly covered money and health matters and attitude to risk, national insurance and passport numbers.
Barclays said it had contacted regulators and would help authorities in “pursuing the perpetrator”.
The newspaper said the leak was exposed by an anonymous whistleblower who handed it a memory stick containing personal data belonging to 2,000 Barclays customers.
He said data belonging to a further 25,000 was on sale for £50 per customer, the Mail added.
The report said the data included earnings, savings, mortgages, insurance policies, health issues and attitude to risk, as well as national insurance and passport numbers, and was “worth millions on the black market because it allowed unsuspecting individuals to be targeted in investment scams”.
A Barclays Bank spokesman said “This appears to be criminal action and we will co-operate with the authorities in pursuing the perpetrator”
The customers in question had originally contacted the bank seeking financial advice from Barclays Financial Planning, which was shut down in 2011.
The Information Commissioner’s Office said it would be working with the newspaper and police who were seeking more details.
The maximum fine for losing personal data is £500,000.
Barclays said it had contacted regulators as soon as it had been made aware, adding that it was grateful to the Mail on Sunday for bringing this to its attention.
”We will take all necessary steps to contact and advise those customers as soon as possible so that they can also ensure the safety of their personal data,” a Barclays spokesman said.
He said protecting customers’ data was a “top priority”
On 7th February at 0530 hrs a detachment from GNR Albufeira arrested four people, three men and a woman , wanted in connection with drug trafficking and illegal gun possession.
During a surveillance against drug trafficking in the area they stopped a car on the IC 1.
After searching the car, the GNR discovered and seized a 6:35 caliber pistol which was hidden inside the car and enough narcotic product for 2625 individual doses of heroin. Also sized was a kilogram of the drug used for cutting and packing.
Two of those arrested were found to be illegally in the country. Those arrested, aged between 26 and 30 years from Quarteira and Amadora , will appear in court with an application to be remanded in custody.
On 5th February 2014, the Judicial Police arrested a man for robbery with the use of a firearm.
On the evening of 6th May 2013, the detainee accompanied by another individual, entered into a residence in Albufeira, in possession of a pistol, a shotgun and other weapons and threatened the owners, a couple who were asleep at the time.
The suspect is also wanted in connection with another robbery with a firearm also in Albufeira, in June 2013.
The accused aged 26-year-old is to appear in court with an application to be remanded in custody.
The Judicial Police reported that on 4th February 2014, that they had arrested three men for drug trafficking in Tavira.
The suspects aged between 37 and 40 years old had moored a semi-rigid vessel and placed it on a trailer before transporting it to a warehouse nearby where they were intercepted. A total of 800 kg of hashish was discovered in the hull of the vessel.
In addition to the drugs; the vessel, trailer, two vehicles Euros 800 and several mobile phones , a satellite phone and several GPS devices were seized.
On 27th January 2013 the GNR Safe Residence Programme SRP celebrated its 4th Anniversary with a gathering of village representatives from various areas in Loulé at the Community centre in Querença hosted by the GNR Loulé.
Around 23 village representatives attended representing some 31 areas which are now covered by the programme in the Municipality of Loulé. Presentations were given by Captain Adriano Commander of the GNR Loulé and David Thomas President of Associação Safe Communities Algarve.
SRP Team members commanded by Cabo Daniel Dias were present as well as Chief Jose Rodrigues Head of the Special Programmes unit which covers the SRP plus, the Safe Elderly, Safe Commerce and School Liaison Programmes.
Captain Adriano gave a detailed presentation covering the structure of the GNR Loulé, the history of the SRP which was created in Loulé in January 2010 as well as the aims of the programme in particular in improving response times to emergencies. He explained that the number of households registered with the programme had increased from 2138 to 2291 over the year and that the GNR were now gathering further data as part of a nationwide exercise.
He then illustrated some of the good arrests which had taken place over the last year in particular the arrest of a foreign national wanted in connection with some violent robberies which had occurred earlier. He added that 2013 had been a good year as far as crime was concerned with decreases in overall and property crime. He added that despite this people should not be complacent and encouraged people to be on the lookout for suspicious activities and following crime prevention advice which was readily available on the SCA website.
Finally he mentioned that the GNR Loulé had held a number of seminars and displays with the SCA during the year which had been well attended.
David Thomas President of SCA then gave a presentation explaining the role of the Association in promoting and supporting the GNR Safe Residence Programme, which was part of the protocol, signed with the GNR in 2013.
He then showed the new Safe Communities Algarve website which will be launched shortly highlighting the ways this will support the SRP overall, through easier and greater access to information. He also showed the new ways of accessing crime prevention material which was simpler and quicker than before as well as how to report suspicious activities. Lastly he thanked the GNR Loulé and SRP for the work they had done throughout the year.
Following the presentations there was an informal gathering between the GNR officers and SRP area representatives which was a good opportunity to discuss various topics, after which Captain Adriano cut a cake to celebrate the event.
On 29th January in the evening GNR Portimão arrested two Portuguese citizens aged 17 and 19 years for the theft of items from residence.
The arrests took place in Mexilhoeira Grande, when those arrested were caught in the act of stealing from a second property having already removed property from another. The culprits broke into the properties by scaling walls and breaking windows. The GNR discovered a car nearby with several stolen items inside including a ceramic hob oven, an extractor hood, an electric oven and various kitchen objects in zinc and copper, as well as objects used carryout the theft.