Armed criminals invaded a University of São Paulo (USP) laboratory in the early hours of January 1st, holding security guards hostage and stealing coils of copper wire and other materials. The guards were unharmed, and police are investigating the incident. Security cameras recorded the entire action of the assailants.
In the early hours of Thursday, January 1st, around midnight, two armed men approached security guards conducting rounds at Building G of the Institute of Energy and Environment at the University of São Paulo (IEE-USP), located on Avenida Professor Luciano Gualberto in São Paulo. The criminals forced the victims to sit in the kitchen attached to the guard post, keeping them under constant threat with weapons.
Subsequently, two other individuals arrived in a van and opened a steel door providing access to the laboratory. Under duress, the guards were compelled to assist in loading the stolen items into the getaway vehicle. The assailants took eight coils of copper wire, 80 meters of plastic cables, and the guards' cellphones.
Part of the laboratory's external area had been without electricity since 3:30 PM the previous day, which may have facilitated the invasion. Security camera footage recorded the entire sequence, showing the thieves holding the staff and moving through the institute.
The incident was reported at the 93rd Police District (Ceasa), where the guards gave statements. In a statement, the Secretariat of Public Security (SSP) said that investigations are underway to identify and locate the perpetrators. Metropoles attempted to contact IEE-USP but received no response by the time of publication.
