By Wendy Anders

Costa Rica’s judicial investigative police (OIJ) detained two Peruvian men who are suspected of  robbing tourists and foreigners.

The arrests were made after investigations, surveillance and follow-up into the men’s apparent participation in at least 10 cases of robberies mainly of foreigners.

The loss associated with their robberies is estimated at 5 million colones, said police. One of the 62-year-old suspects was arrested in Hatillo, a southern San José suburb, and the second man of 63, was arrested at a hotel where he was staying in the capital.

The suspects have entered the country on several occasions during high tourist season, said police in a press statement.

They are suspected of carrying out thefts in different locales, mainly bars or restaurants of hotels, where they “took advantage of the carelessness of the people who hung the bags of the chairs and while one distracted the other took wallets and other items of value from people’s coats and bags,” detailed police.

Investigations into the case continue in order to uncover whether the men also perpetrated similar acts in other areas outside of San José, said police.