GNR arrests six suspects in violent elderly robbery ring in Faro district

The Portuguese National Republican Guard (GNR) carried out two operations in the Algarve, detaining six people—aged 19 to 46—in the municipalities of Olhão and Faro. The suspects are alleged members of an organized network that robbed elderly and vulnerable victims, often using blunt objects such as hammers and clubs to force the victims to hand over gold, cash or valuables. At least ten victims required hospital treatment after the assaults. The arrests resulted from investigations by the GNR's Criminal Investigation Unit in Faro, which executed three arrest warrants and multiple search warrants. Two of the arrested men, both 19, were placed in preventive detention, while the remaining suspects await court appearances. The case highlights a surge in violent thefts targeting senior citizens in southern Portugal.