Men arrested in Buenos Aires for using rent collection as a cover for apartment burglaries

In Buenos Aires, police apprehended five men in the Monserrat neighborhood who are accused of using the pretense of collecting rent arrears to forcibly enter an apartment. Neighbors alerted authorities after hearing shouts and calls for help, leading to the swift police response.

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The investigators suspect that, in reality, it is a gang that uses that excuse as a 'Trojan horse' to commit burglaries in empty homes in the Capital.

Investigators believe the group operates as a gang, employing the rent collection ruse as a "Trojan horse" to gain access to properties, with the ultimate goal of committing burglaries, particularly in vacant apartments. The incident occurred at a building on Avenida Belgrano, where a woman from Cameroon, who is a naturalized Argentine citizen, managed to escape to her balcony and call for assistance as the men attempted to force their way into her home.

Upon arrival, officers secured the building's entrances and elevators to prevent any escape. On the sixth floor, they discovered the five suspects in possession of various tools, including screwdrivers, wrenches, pry bars, and other implements suitable for breaking down doors. None of the individuals could provide a convincing explanation for their presence or for carrying such tools.

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The woman from Cameroon, a naturalized Argentine citizen, managed to escape to the balcony of her apartment and desperately ask for help while, according to her statement, several men were trying to force their way into the property.

The victim informed the police that the suspects violently entered her apartment and threatened her, demanding payment for alleged rent debts. However, she stated that she had no outstanding payments and no prior relationship with the accused. This testimony, combined with the seized tools and the criminal histories of several suspects, strengthened the police hypothesis that they were dealing with a specialized burglary ring. Four of the five detainees have previous convictions, including charges related to illegal firearms, attempted robbery, and drug trafficking. The suspects were arrested by order of the East Flagrancy Unit of the City Public Ministry.

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None could convincingly explain what they were doing there or justify the possession of those tools.