Checkpoint on the Corner

São Paulo, Tuesday, December 11, 2001, 11 pm. At 6:40 pm, two blocks from his advertising agency in Higienópolis, ad man Teodoro Bastos was stopped at a Federal Police checkpoint.

They were not police. The men in vests threw the driver onto the sidewalk and took Teodoro away in a dark Santana, siren blaring. The silver Omega was left slewedslewed Turned or swung sideways out of line, as a vehicle skidding across a road. across the street.

At 9:05 pm a man with a Spanish-speaking accent called the agency and demanded R$ 10 million. Teodoro always rode in an armored car. Today, he left in the ordinary Omega.

Three people knew the time, the car and the route. One of them sold their boss out.

Meeting room of an advertising agency in São Paulo, 2001, at night, a cordless phone on the table.