South American police turn to cosplay for creative crime busts
Police in South America have resorted to costumes to nab suspected criminals.
Authorities in South America have resorted to interesting ways to nab criminal suspects.
Different videos have surfaced on social media showing officers ditching their traditional uniforms and badges and wearing costumes to arrest suspected criminals.
Mario and Luigi team up with São Paulo police for carnival crime crackdown
‘Game Over’: Mario & Luigi team up with São Paulo police for carnival
A March 4 video from São Paulo Governor Tarcísio Gomes de Freitas shows police officers dressed as the iconic mustachioed brothers, along with Yoshi, arresting a suspected thief.
Earlier this month, at a carnival in São Paulo, Brazil, local officers dressed up as the world’s most famous plumbing brothers, Mario and Luigi, to take down a suspected thief.
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São Paulo Governor Tarcisio Gomes de Freita released a video showing the mustachioed brothers, along with Yoshi the dinosaur, arresting the suspect.
According to the city's Secretariat of Public Security, the disguises were part of an anti-theft strategy by police during the carnival season.
Police in Power Rangers costumes make arrest at São Paulo carnival
‘Morphing Time!’: Police in Power Rangers costumes arrest suspect at São Paulo carnival
São Paulo’s Carnival is famous for its costumes, and this year, local law enforcement joined the fun, with officers blending in as Power Rangers and the iconic plumbing duo, Mario and Luigi.
A few days before and at the same carnival, a group of police officers in São Paulo wore full Power Rangers gear arrested a suspected phone thief.
The governor also released the footage.
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"It’s morphing time," he wrote, referencing the iconic 90s TV show. "Our heroes noticed the suspicious behavior of a duo inside the block and with an approach that no ranger would find fault with, they arrested the criminal and recovered seven cell phones."
Police use capybara costume to arrest suspected drug dealer
Police use Capybara costume to bust drug dealer in Valentine’s Day sting
A Peruvian police officer wore a capybara costume as a disguise in an anti-drug trafficking operation, arresting a suspected dealer red-handed, authorities announced on February 14. (Credit: National Police of Peru via Storyful)
An officer in Peru used a capybara costume to bust a suspected drug dealer red-handed on Valentine's Day.
It was part of the anti-drug trafficking operation’s "camouflage strategy."
Dig deeper:
The National Police released video that showed the costumed officer holding a gift outside the suspected drug dealer's home in Lurin.
The officer then charged into the home when the door opened and took down the man before arresting him.
Authorities said they found 1,700 packages of cocaine and marijuana during the raid.
The officer then posed with the outfit alongside the suspect and the drugs.
The Source: Storyful contributed to this report. The information in this story comes from various social media videos and official releases from local authorities in São Paulo, Brazil, and Peru. This story was reported from Los Angeles.