PSP identify various ‘men dressed as firefighters’ attempting to extract money from drivers

Men dressed as firefighters stopping traffic at roundabouts, ostensibly collecting money to purchase an ambulance, have been ‘at it again’, this time in Camarate, Loures (near Lisbon). These ‘initiatives’ can be encountered in various parts of the country. Drivers, believing the men’s uniforms are official, slow down, and are then engaged in conversation. This time round, the men were arrested, but very often these groups succeed in collecting substantial amounts of money. Emblazoned on the uniforms are usually the words: “Associação Portuguesa de Veteranos de Guerra! (Portuguese Association of War Veterans).