Police in Monterrey, Mexico have arrested four people over an attempted robbery of Japanese and South Korean fans visiting the city for the World Cup.
The group of alleged thieves — two Peruvians and two Mexican nationals, based in Mexico City — were caught attempting to steal rucksacks and hand luggage belonging to the visiting supporters from hotels.
Three of the people targeted were Japanese nationals, while one was from South Korea.
Monterrey police said in a press conference that the alleged criminals travelled from Mexico City, 900km to the south, on June 19 and were caught five days later, on June 24.
Japan played their Group F game against Tunisia in Monterrey on June 20, while South Korea’s final Group A match against South Africa took place on June 24.
The police said the supporters’ belongings had all been returned.
“What we want to show with this is that criminals realise that in Monterrey we have the intelligence, cameras, the team and the people prepared so that, when they commit an illegal act during the World Cup or after the World Cup, we can always find them,” the city’s chief police commissioner Eduardo Sanchez Quiroz said in a statement to The Athletic.
The police added that 17 bags apparently containing marijuana had been found on the individuals when they were arrested.
Estadio Monterrey, which also hosted Sweden’s 5-1 victory over Tunisia on June 14, will stage its fourth and final game of the tournament on Monday, when Netherlands play Morocco in the last-32 knockout stage.
