Brazilian police trade badges for Batman masks in a carnival sting operation that offers a creative, if theatrical, blueprint for tackling urban muggings.

Captain America didn't throw a shield; he slapped on handcuffs. In the sweltering heat of the Rio de Janeiro Carnival, the heroes weren't marvels of cinema, but undercover officers from Brazil's Civil Police. In a brazen sting operation dubbed "Operation Tracking," officers donned costumes—including Batman, Captain America, and even characters from Money Heist—to blend into the revelry and catch thieves in the act.

"Operation Tracking" is a masterclass in blending in. As Nairobians struggle with their own wave of "snatch-and-run" crimes in the CBD, the tactic raises a question: does it take a disguise to catch a thief?

The Sting

The operation targeted the rampant theft of mobile phones during the street parties (blocos). Police drones spotted a woman snatching a phone and passing it to an accomplice. Within seconds, the "superheroes" descended. The pair were arrested, and five stolen phones were recovered. The footage of a masked officer leading a suspect away has since gone viral, a symbol of the surreal intersection of festivity and felony.

• The Disguises: Avengers, Money Heist overalls, Jason Voorhees.
• The Haul: 5 phones recovered, 2 arrests (30 prior records between them).
• The Strategy: Drone surveillance + Deep cover infiltration.

A Lesson for Nairobi?

Street crime in Rio shares DNA with Nairobi’s challenges. Crowded spaces, distracted victims, and organized gangs are the norm. While the Kenya Police Service often deploys plainclothes officers ("spivs"), the Brazilian approach adds a layer of psychological warfare—the criminal never knows if the person dancing next to them is a victim or a vigilante.

The operation has recovered over 4,000 phones since its inception. It is a reminder that in the cat-and-mouse game of urban crime, sometimes the cat needs to wear a mask. "The rules still apply," said a Rio police spokesperson, "but during Carnival, we play by the rhythm of the street."