Rio police say insurance fraud “massacres” city’s crime stats
Two British law graduates Shanti Andrews and Rebecca Turner, both 23, arrested in Brazil admitted attempted insurance fraud in Rio de Janeiro, the Telegraph reports.
The pair said they were robbed while travelling to the city on a bus from the tourist resort of Foz de Iguaçu, but lied to police adding a bag, a mobile phone and a digital camera, to the list of stolen items.
They intended to claim for the items on insurance. They said they got the idea while speaking to other backpackers while on a round the world trip.
The women claim they robbed on 13 July, almost two weeks before they reported the incident.
Made an example of
The Express reported that the police said insurance scams by tourists were common in Brazil and it was feared the pair would be made an example of.
Police say they found a £240 mobile phone, a £450 digital camera, a £600 iPod and a £60 white bag. But a laptop and other goods have still not been found, according to Renato Tonini.
May not plead guilty
The Guardian had said earlier that another of their lawyers, Eduardo Tonini, denied the pair would plead guilty.
The Guardian said: “Eduardo Tonini said the defence would argue that charges of fraud represented an ‘impossible crime’ as the type of robbery reported to police would not have been covered by the women's insurance policy.”
The Guardian also reported that Rio's tourist police say the "luggage trick", is "massacring" crime statistics, giving Rio a bad name.
