Notorious tram pickpocket "King of Trams" finally arrested
The Portuguese police have apprehended the 62-year-old "King of Trams," a notorious pickpocket operating in Lisbon's public transport system. This individual has been stealing from passengers on popular tram lines for years.
According to the main police headquarters in Lisbon, this man was well-known to law enforcement, including local police. His activities were concentrated on tram lines numbers 28, 12, and 15, which are particularly popular among tourists visiting Portugal's capital.
The King of Trams and his past
The King of Trams is just one of the nicknames for this older man, who has specialized in theft on Lisbon trams for decades. The police have confirmed that he is, in fact, the same individual known as "Ziutek" from Porto.
This man has been convicted multiple times for tram thefts and was considered a member of the so-called pensioners' gang.
Despite a previous four-year prison sentence for 20 thefts, the King of Trams continued to operate on popular tram lines. The police did not clarify why this man could continue his activities despite the sentence.
The Portuguese pensioners' gang
In May 2023, the police arrested 86-year-old Anibal, also associated with the pensioners' gang. Anibal was caught red-handed during a tram theft. Earlier, during the COVID-19 pandemic, he attempted to steal a phone from a bus passenger, but his clumsy actions led to his capture.
The arrest of the King of Trams marks another step in the fight against pickpocketing in Lisbon. The police emphasize that "pickpockets are increasingly caught due to their aggressiveness and because their thefts are too visible to witnesses." They also stress that tourists, in particular, should be cautious with their personal belongings, including purses, wallets, documents, phones, and other electronic devices.
