A 36-year-old man was arrested early Thursday morning (5th) while driving a cloned vehicle on the Via Dutra highway at kilometer 305 in Resende, Rio de Janeiro. The incident unfolded during a routine patrol when federal highway police received information regarding a suspicious vehicle potentially linked to theft. Notably, the car displayed a license plate from Ribeirão das Neves in Minas Gerais, raising further suspicions among the officers.

While being interrogated, the driver, accompanied by his three children and mother, claimed he was traveling from Rio de Janeiro to São Paulo and had recently bought the car for 35,000 BRL. However, the Federal Highway Police uncovered that the vehicle's identification signals had been tampered with, revealing it was originally registered in São Paulo. This incident highlights ongoing issues of vehicle theft and cloning which pose significant challenges to law enforcement in the region and raise questions about how cloned vehicles can evade detection.

Such incidents underscore the necessity for improved surveillance and enforcement measures against vehicle theft in Brazil, especially on major highways like Via Dutra, which are commonly used for transporting vehicles across state lines. The authorities' response demonstrates a proactive approach to tackling these crimes, ensuring that suspects are apprehended and preventative measures taken to deter future incidents.