A woman, 32, known as ‘the Criminal Barbie,’ was taken into custody for allegedly planning to break into several upscale apartments in an intricate scheme. Paola Co Carita Gobel was apprehended with three men for reportedly infiltrating a luxury complex in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, with intentions of committing burglaries. Referred to as ‘Catwoman’ (‘Mulher Gato’) by local media, Gobel has a history of entering high-end residential buildings under false pretenses, including posing as a resident’s acquaintance or an escort, to steal valuable items. She had previously faced charges for similar offenses in October 2023, resulting in community service and a fine.
In the most recent incident, Gobel and her associates allegedly leased a flat within the complex to use as a base for multiple burglaries. Suspicion arose among neighbors when they observed the group moving in on November 14 with minimal belongings and later witnessed them filming neighboring properties while concealing their faces.
Following a tip-off, authorities began investigating the rental agreement, discovering it was signed under the name of a civil servant previously targeted in an identity theft case. Marcel Willian Oliveira de Souza, a police chief from Brazil’s Special Department of Criminal Investigations (DEIC), mentioned discrepancies in the rental process and eyewitness reports of suspicious behavior, leading them to believe criminal activities were being planned at the property. Detectives suspect cloned credit cards might have been used for rental payments.
A police raid on November 19 uncovered drugs, a fraudulent rental contract, and a stolen vehicle in the garage. During the operation, one suspect damaged a mobile phone to prevent it from being seized. Forensic analysis is pending on the suspects’ phones, and efforts are underway to determine if additional individuals were present at the flat.
The group faces charges of criminal conspiracy, falsifying vehicle registration details, handling stolen goods, trespassing, and using false identities. Reflecting on Gobel’s criminal history, Police Chief Oliveira de Souza highlighted that two of the arrested individuals had prior run-ins with the law for more severe offenses. Gobel, also known as ‘Catwoman’ and ‘Barbie of Crime,’ had been involved in a previous burglary where around one million reais (£140,000) were stolen. She was apprehended at her boyfriend’s residence, where drugs were also found.