18 charges filed against the suspect who allegedly posed as the driver and robbed passengers in Lisbon

The Lisbon Prosecutor's Office prepared an indictment against a person who allegedly approached people near public transportation stops by posing as a driver providing passenger transportation services and took money, phones and bank cards from some victims by using a knife or physical force. The defendant is charged with a total of 18 crimes, including 8 robberies, 3 thefts and 7 crimes related to the misuse of payment instruments. It was announced that the events took place between May 2024 and October 2025, and the defendant had been detained since March 2026. PGR Lisbon

The prosecutor's office filed 18 separate criminal charges

According to the statement of Procuradoria-Geral Regional de Lisboa, Ministério Público prepared an indictment against the defendant on September 4, 2026.

On file:

- 8 roubo, 3 of them are qualified,

- 3 furto,

- 7 misuse of bank cards, payment devices or payment data

The crime is included.

There are 18 criminal charges in total. PGR Lisbon

Events took place in 2024 and 2025

Although the prosecutor's office's statement is new, the events subject to the indictment did not occur in the last few days.

Date range of events according to Ministério Público:

16 May 2024 – October 2025. PGR Lisbon

Therefore, what is new in this development is not “8 new robberies taking place” in Lisbon; The investigation into past events has reached the indictment stage.

He allegedly approached the victims near public transport stops

The striking part of the file is the method the defendant allegedly used.

According to the prosecutor's office, the defendant often approached the victims near public transportation stops and introduced himself as a driver providing passenger transportation services. PGR Lisbon

Then, in some cases, it is alleged that the victims seized valuables from them by using cutting tools and/or physical force.

Among the items listed by the prosecutor's office:

- bank cards,

- mobile phones,

- cash

is available. PGR Lisbon

Cards and phone apps have also been used

The accusations in the indictment are not limited to physical taking of money or phones.

Ministério Público found that the defendant then used the seized bank cards or applications found on the stolen phones to:

- Withdrawing money from ATMs,

- purchased various products

claims. PGR Lisbon

Therefore, the file also includes 7 accusations of misuse of payment instruments, cards, devices or payment data.

The defendant has been detained since March

According to the prosecutor's office's statement, the defendant has been under prisão preventiva, that is, a protective measure in the form of pre-trial detention, since March 2026. PGR Lisbon

The investigation was carried out by the 11th division of the Lisbon DIAP and the PSP supported the Ministério Público.

The number of the file was announced as NUIPC 5520/24.9P8LSB. PGR Lisbon

No specific Uber or Bolt affiliation announced

The prosecutor's statement does not state that the defendant is affiliated with a specific TVDE company or that he is a registered driver with Uber, Bolt or any other application.

The official statement only says that the person introduced himself as a “motorista de transporte de passageiros”, that is, a driver who transports passengers. PGR Lisbon

Therefore, the reporting of the incident as “Uber driver”, “Bolt driver” or driver of a specific platform goes beyond the available official information.

A few simple checks when hailing a ride in Lisbon

This file does not mean that TVDE or taxi services in Lisbon are unsafe in general. However, the method described by the prosecutor's office shows the importance of basic checks, especially regarding people who spontaneously offer transportation on the street.

When calling a vehicle via the application:

Check the license plate. The license plate appearing in the application must be the same as the license plate of the arriving vehicle.

Check the vehicle model. The brand and model in the application must match the vehicle received.

Check driver information. Make sure that the driver shown by the app is the same person driving the vehicle.

Beware of random offers outside the app. Do not accept that a person who approaches you directly, especially at a public transportation stop, airport, station or tourist area, is a real platform driver based on their word alone.

Share trip information. Many apps offer the ability to share journey or location information with someone you trust.

What to do if phone and bank card are stolen?

Since there is an allegation in this file that phones and bank cards were used later, the incident should not be seen only as a loss of belongings.

When a bank card is stolen, it is important to block the card immediately from the bank's application or emergency line.

If possible when the phone is stolen:

- the device must be locked remotely,

- Access to banking and payment applications should be blocked,

- The operator should be contacted regarding the SIM card,

- Passwords of critical accounts should be changed.

The phone's use of a screen lock, PIN, and biometric authentication can make unauthorized access to financial applications difficult.

In case of immediate danger, 112 can be called in Portugal.

Why are roubo and furto written separately?

There are both roubo and furto accusations in the prosecutor's file.

These two terms do not mean the same thing in Portuguese law.

Furto generally refers to the unlawful taking of someone else's property.

Roubo, on the other hand, is a different and more serious category of crime that involves violence, threats or methods that prevent the victim from resisting during the taking of goods.

The reason why the prosecutor's office filed 8 roubo charges against the defendant is that the indictment includes incidents involving the use of knives and physical force.

No convictions yet

Just because an indictment has been prepared does not mean that the person is found guilty.

The file is currently at the stage where the prosecutor's office is filing charges. The accusations must be evaluated in court and the final decision must be made as a result of the trial.

For this reason, when describing the defendant's actions, the expressions "according to the prosecution", "alleged" and "accused" should be used instead of "did".

Sources Reviewed

Ministério Público / Procuradoria-Geral Regional de Lisboa — “Roubo. Furto. Abuso de cartão...” — 7 September 2026 PGR Lisboa

Ministerio Público