Brazil’s Scooby-Doo-Dressed Cops Go Viral After Busting Phone Thieves At Carnival

Last Updated:February 18, 2026, 09:55 IST

Images and videos of the arrests quickly spread online with many social media users amused by the unusual sight of cartoon characters carrying out real police work.

Police officers in Brazil’s Sao Paulo have gone viral after arresting cellphone thieves at a carnival while dressed as characters from the classic cartoon Scooby‑Doo. The four undercover officers were disguised as Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Velma, Fred and Daphne- the mystery-solving gang known for catching villains after elaborate chases.

Their real-life operation ended with the arrest of two women and a man suspected of stealing phones during the festivities. According to a report by the New York Post, one of the suspects was carrying at least eight stolen phones. Police said the devices were returned to their rightful owners before the suspects were taken to a police station for further investigation.

Images and videos of the arrests quickly spread online with many social media users amused by the unusual sight of cartoon characters carrying out real police work.

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The creative disguises did not stop with the Scooby-Doo gang. One officer was also dressed as a guard from the Netflix series Squid Game while another blended into the crowd wearing a jersey of Liverpool FC.

Police said such disguises are part of a broader strategy to combat theft during large public gatherings like carnivals, where criminals often exploit dense crowds. Officials added that deploying undercover officers dressed as partygoers has helped reduce festival-related crimes.

This is not the first time Brazilian police used pop-culture disguises. Last year, officers dressed as the Power Rangers arrested a suspect near Ibirapuera Park, an operation highlighted by Sao Paulo Governor Tarcisio Gomes de Freitas. Similar unconventional tactics have been seen elsewhere in the region. In Lima, Peru, an anti-drug officer dressed as a capybara carried out a raid that led to the seizure of more than 1,700 packages of illegal drugs.

News world Brazil’s Scooby-Doo-Dressed Cops Go Viral After Busting Phone Thieves At Carnival

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