Buenos Aires, January 18 (NA) -- Two criminals with prior records, who specialized in robbing ride-share drivers, have been arrested by officers from the Buenos Aires City Police following an investigation that included a series of raids in the Villa Soldati housing complex. Police sources informed the Argentine News Agency that these are the thieves accused of injuring a driver in the leg on January 5th when he resisted a robbery. The first suspect detained by personnel from the City Police's 8th Community Investigations Division (DIC8) is 18 years old and is identified as the ringleader, who is linked to 14 similar robberies of drivers. The investigation is based on an aggravated robbery and assault that occurred on January 5th, when a ride-share driver was summoned to a trip to the Soldati housing complex. Upon arrival, he was approached by two armed assailants, and during a struggle, the driver was shot in the leg. Based on these findings, DIC8 personnel managed to identify the main perpetrator and a series of addresses. In this regard, following raids on residences located on Mariano Acosta street at number 3500 and at the intersection of Rodrigo de Triana and Mariano Acosta, on the outskirts of the neighborhood, the alleged leader was arrested. He has an extensive criminal record. During the operations, a replica pistol and thirteen cell phones were seized. According to the investigation, the accused is linked to at least 14 similar incidents committed since December, in which the gang members requested rides through applications, and upon the vehicle's arrival, they robbed and assaulted the drivers to steal their belongings. Furthermore, he has a record for various crimes in the city: robbery in an inhabited place and as part of a gang, aggravated concealment, and illicit investigation. He also has two active convictions for robbery in an inhabited place and as part of a gang, issued by the National Justice. In the continuation of the investigation, DIC8 personnel determined that another alleged gang member was also a resident of the same neighborhood and had changed his appearance with a haircut and dye. With this information, the 20-year-old individual was detained by detectives on Corrales street, within the monoblock complex. The last detainee has a record for armed robbery, with cases at the 8th Neighborhood Police Station, which has jurisdiction in Villa Soldati.
