Rio thief who robbed News Corp photographer caught using stolen gear

TWO days ago our snapper Brett Costello had $40k of camera gear stolen at a Rio beach. Today, we caught the thief masquerading as a photographer near the archery venue and had him apprehended.

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THE daring Rio thief who stole $40,000 worth of camera gear from a News Corp Australia photographer has been caught — by the very man from whom he stole the gear!

Photographer Brett Costello noticed the man wearing his jacket when he walked through security to cover the archery event this morning.

Not content with stealing the camera gear from a Rio cafe two days ago, the thief had put Costello’s photo jacket on and wore it through security.

Police arrest the man near the archery arena where he was caught with Brett Costello’s stolen gear.

Journalists are supposed to have accreditation but somehow he got through without the proper passes.

While Costello alerted police the journalist he was with followed the thief through the venue where he went to the practice range and briefly, the press box.

Local police responded to pleas for help and arrested him.

The arrest this morning follows the release of CCTV vision of the brazen theft at the Aussie coffee shop Kraft Cafe where Costello was targeted by a three-person gang of thieves.

How the robbery unfolded.

Two middle-aged men in business clothes and a blonde woman had likely scoped Costello out earlier in the day as he took photos of Aussie Olympic sailor Matt Belcher at Ipanema beach.

In two angles of the crime, the footage shows in great deal the tactics the seasoned thieves used to distract him, create the path for a quick getaway and how they tricked him into running the wrong way in pursuit of the thief.

The footage shows a woman start a conversation in Portuguese with Costello who is standing near the entrance of the coffee shop with his camera bag at his side.

The cafe where Brett Costello was robbed.

As she speaks and waves her arms around, two men are seen inching towards the bag.

The first attempt to grab the bag is foiled when Brett notices his bag has moved slightly but the woman keeps talking and one of the men can be seen lifting the bag and doing a runner.

In a callous twist, the second angle shows Costello racing out of the cafe after the theft and then being pointed in the wrong direction by the second man involved in the sting.

All three thieves slip away as Costello desperately sprints up the street.

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Originally published as Rio thief who robbed News Corp photographer caught using stolen gear