Thief caught in bus station by officer dressed up as familiar face
This is the moment a wanted thief was caught by a subterfuge Santa while buying bus tickets at a station.
The unnamed 22-year-old was arrested by a police officer dressed as Father Christmas in the city of Porto Alegre in Brazil’s Rio Grande do Sul state.
He was on the run for aggravated robbery, authorities said.
The man was also being monitored by intelligence services for having an extensive criminal record of drug smuggling.
Police said they had received information that the suspect was intending to travel on false documents to spend the holidays with his family.
They launched an operation to intercept the fugitive traveller as he attempted to leave the city’s main bus station in the early hours of December 23.
A clip of the incident showed the officer, dressed in Santa Claus’ trademark red and white outfit and hat, handcuffing the suspect and escorting him from the station
The handy festive disguise ensured he approached the man without raising alarm from other passengers.
After being taken to the police station, the thief was transferred to prison where he remains in custody.
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