Truck driver who stopped Rodoanel made up robbery and fake bomb, says police

The executive secretary of Public Security of São Paulo, Osvaldo Nico, told O GLOBO that Santos, after being confronted by the police about the details of the story, confessed on Wednesday (19) that he had made up the whole thing. Initially, he reported that he had been a victim of a robbery.
Santos also threw a stone at the window of his own truck to simulate the supposed robbery and tied the fake bomb found inside the truck to himself. According to Nico, Santos was charged with filing a false crime report. Information from radio CBN also indicates that during questioning, the driver said he simulated the robbery to ‘bring attention to the labor cause of truck drivers’.
The incident halted Rodoanel during the early hours and morning of the 12th, a Wednesday. The truck was found blocking the road, and the Special Actions Police Group (Gate) went to the scene after a report of an explosive in the cabin. The police used special equipment until they realized the bomb was a fake.
According to the Public Security Secretary, investigations are ongoing at the police station in Taboão da Serra for the ‘appropriate criminal responsibility of the suspect’.
It all started around 5 am, when a team from the concessionaire that manages the stretch saw the truck blocking the highway and sent a patrol car to the scene. The driver refused to leave the truck, claiming to have a homemade bomb strapped to his body. The vehicle had left Acre state and was destined for São Bernardo do Campo municipality in the metropolitan area of São Paulo.
The driver claimed he was approached by three robbers and forced to maneuver, positioning the vehicle across the road. The robbers allegedly fled without taking anything from the truck.
Santos also mentioned that a stone was used to hit the truck’s windshield. He said he stopped to check the damage to the vehicle and was overpowered by the robbers, who allegedly placed the device inside the cabin. When he was rescued, security agents reported that the driver was in pain in the rib area, supposedly assaulted by the robbers.
The Sitrex Transportes carrier, for whom Santos works, publicly defended the employee. The company highlighted the driver’s professional history, stating that he ‘adequately followed all legal and safety procedures’ before the incident.
‘It is emphasized that the driver adequately followed all legal and safety procedures, notably regarding rest times, travel, and appropriate speed — information gathered through the vehicle’s electronic monitoring service,’ the company stated.