Costa Rican authorities detained four men yesterday who are suspected of offering rides to people leaving bars in San José, drugging them with a sedative and then using their phones and bank cards to empty their accounts. Agents from the theft section of the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) and prosecutors from the specialized cybercrime unit raided homes in Grecia, in Alajuela province, and in Aserrí, south of the capital.
The suspects are two brothers plus two other men and authorities have identified eight victims so far. Losses are put at about 10 million colones, or roughly $22,000. According to investigators, the suspects approached people who had been drinking outside bars in San Jose during the early morning hours and offered them a private transport service. During the ride, the victims were allegedly given water mixed with drops of clonazepam, a prescription sedative.
Once the drug took effect, the group allegedly took the victims’ cell phones and bank cards. Investigators say the cards were then used for purchases and cash withdrawals, and the victims were left next to the road. The four men are under investigation for alleged computer fraud and aggravated robbery however they have not been charged and the case remains open.
Authorities have not disclosed which bars or neighborhoods were involved, the ages of the suspects, or whether any of the victims were foreign visitors. The case is the latest in a series of thefts in Costa Rica that rely on speed and surprise rather than force, including one this week in which thieves emptied a rental car in eight minutes.
Anyone who believes they were targeted in a similar way can report it to the OIJ through its confidential line at 800-8000-645.
