Police Disguised as Gas Station Attendants Arrest Two in Luján Robbery Case

In a movie-like operation, two police officers in Luján, Argentina, successfully apprehended two suspects accused of committing 14 robberies by posing as gas station attendants. The undercover officers maintained surveillance at a service station, leading to the arrest of the alleged members of a motorcycle gang.

The investigation began months prior due to a rise in assaults by a motorcycle gang in Luján and nearby areas like Mercedes and Carlos Keen. Intelligence gathering and security camera analysis by the DDI Luján and Prosecutor's Office No. 9 identified one suspect, Ignacio Emanuel Soto, 19, who was arrested on July 1st.

Following Soto's arrest, investigators identified a service station where he frequently met with another key suspect. This led to the elaborate undercover operation. Two officers dressed as attendants at a YPF station on National Route No. 7, blending in while conducting their surveillance.

When the suspects, identified as Matías Ezequiel Barroso, 38, and Sebastián Ezequiel Barroso, 18, arrived on a high-powered motorcycle, the officers intercepted them. The brothers resisted and attempted to flee but were ultimately subdued. A Honda Tornado motorcycle, believed to be used in the robberies, along with two helmets and a cell phone, were seized.

The Barroso brothers are accused of being part of a gang responsible for 14 robberies between February and June of this year. Some of these incidents involved violence and firearms, with one victim sustaining a gunshot wound. The gang primarily targeted motorcyclists on provincial routes and access roads, using threats and weapons to steal vehicles before escaping.