Woman and child taken hostage in lottery: attendant noticed robbery, simulated problems withdrawing money and called police

The attendant at the lottery office in the Power Center complex in Contagem, where a woman and a child were taken hostage this Thursday (12), was the one who noticed the crime and called the police. The victims were rescued safely, and the suspect was arrested.

The incident mobilized PM teams, including the Specialized Coating Group (GER). The corporation reported that it was called around 12pm for an attempted robbery and extortion at the establishment, which is located in the Cidade Industrial neighborhood.

According to the Military Police, the 47-year-old suspect captured the 37-year-old woman in the parking lot, forced her to pose as his girlfriend and then demanded that she make withdrawals from the lottery cashier.

An employee noticed the situation, simulated problems withdrawing the money and managed to call the police, who began the negotiation process to release the victims as soon as they arrived at the commercial complex.

At around 1pm, the child was safely removed from the scene. Minutes later, the military rescued her mother and arrested the man. Nobody was injured.

"The incident mobilized several Military Police units, which acted in an integrated and coordinated manner, with a focus on preserving the lives and safety of all those involved," the PM said in a statement.

The employee noticed and called the police

In a moment of distraction on the part of the suspect, the victim managed to warn in a low voice that he was being robbed. The lottery employee noticed the situation, wrote a note with the word "police" and discreetly showed it to the woman, who gave a positive signal.

The attendant then alerted a colleague, who called the police. While the police were on their way to the shopping complex, she started simulating problems with the withdrawal system and asked the man to change cashiers.

When the military arrived, the suspect pulled the victim and the child close to him and threatened to kill everyone around him.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Anselmo Pedrosa, commander of the GER, the suspect was holding a bag and pretending to be armed to threaten the victims. After his arrest, police discovered that he was carrying a stun device.

Still according to the military, the man appeared to be in a panic, with disjointed speeches and unusual demands, claiming that he needed money to pay an alleged loan shark. He has police records for threats and car theft.

In a statement, the Civil Police stated that the suspect was taken and would be interviewed through the 2nd State Central of Digital Duty for the appropriate measures.