Rio roadblock robberies

In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 19 police battalion leaders were fired after more than 10 robberies were committed during the first week of October by gunmen who set up roadblocks on city streets. No serious injuries were linked to the robberies, but drivers were removed from their cars and robbed and some of the cars were stolen.

At press time, over 30 mass robberies (including roadblock-type crimes) had occurred in Rio in 2010.