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| 'Barbie Bandit' Briton accused of raids in Argentina will not face charges | 'Barbie Bandit' Briton accused of raids in Argentina will not face charges |
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| Nicknamed the “Barbie Bandit” by the British tabloid press, Georgia Wawman has become infamous as the alleged “key player” in a gang that raided luxury homes across Argentina. | Nicknamed the “Barbie Bandit” by the British tabloid press, Georgia Wawman has become infamous as the alleged “key player” in a gang that raided luxury homes across Argentina. |
| Old schoolmates were quoted as describing the 26-year-old, who was raised in a Wiltshire village, as a “troublemaker” who “stole sweets” and would “bat her eyelashes to get out of trouble”. | Old schoolmates were quoted as describing the 26-year-old, who was raised in a Wiltshire village, as a “troublemaker” who “stole sweets” and would “bat her eyelashes to get out of trouble”. |
| But despite widespread reporting of her alleged misdeeds it has emerged Wawman was never expected to face charges. “She was in the wrong place at the wrong time,” said a legal source at the court handling the investigation. | |
| Wawman, from Great Bedwyn, near Marlborough, is understood to have been questioned for eight hours last week before investigators concluded there was no evidence of any wrongdoing. | |
| Their decision came after detectives had initially claimed she was instrumental in numerous robberies that saw gangs of up to eight people, dressed as police officers, assault homeowners as they ransacked their properties. | |
| Wawman was detained last Thursday in the Buenos Aires suburb of Manzanares, a district surrounded by gated communities and luxury homes built in the last decade. | |
| She was apprehended in one of a series of raids that targeted the perpetrators of numerous burglaries in the area. “There’s been an investigation in recent months into the activities of three different gangs operating in the area but Wawman was never a part of that investigation,” the legal source said. | She was apprehended in one of a series of raids that targeted the perpetrators of numerous burglaries in the area. “There’s been an investigation in recent months into the activities of three different gangs operating in the area but Wawman was never a part of that investigation,” the legal source said. |
| Investigators had hoped to arrest the male occupant of the house where Wawman was staying. The man, suspected of providing the cars used in some of the heists, was not present, but police took Wawman for questioning. | Investigators had hoped to arrest the male occupant of the house where Wawman was staying. The man, suspected of providing the cars used in some of the heists, was not present, but police took Wawman for questioning. |
| In their haste to claim success, the police issued a press communiqué boasting that they had disbanded “a gang of delinquents led by a woman from Great Britain that carried out heists in gated communities and weekend homes in the northern suburbs of Buenos Aires”. | In their haste to claim success, the police issued a press communiqué boasting that they had disbanded “a gang of delinquents led by a woman from Great Britain that carried out heists in gated communities and weekend homes in the northern suburbs of Buenos Aires”. |
| Police even claimed that Wawman had been found in possession of objects stolen by the gangs. This was was later proven false, when victims of the robberies failed to recognise the belongings she was found with, which included her own iPad. | Police even claimed that Wawman had been found in possession of objects stolen by the gangs. This was was later proven false, when victims of the robberies failed to recognise the belongings she was found with, which included her own iPad. |
| Police detective Blas Mpatsios told reporters that when Wawman was arrested she had yelled at other detainees caught in the raid to say nothing. “It was like she was giving orders,” Mpatsios was quoted as saying. | Police detective Blas Mpatsios told reporters that when Wawman was arrested she had yelled at other detainees caught in the raid to say nothing. “It was like she was giving orders,” Mpatsios was quoted as saying. |
| Newspapers in Argentina and the UK ran stories identifying Wawman as the “Barbie Bandit” mastermind of the gang, illustrated with photographs of guns, ammunition and fake police uniforms seized during the round of arrests. | Newspapers in Argentina and the UK ran stories identifying Wawman as the “Barbie Bandit” mastermind of the gang, illustrated with photographs of guns, ammunition and fake police uniforms seized during the round of arrests. |
| A legal source said Wawman was not connected to any of the items pictured under her name. “She was in detention only from 9am till 5pm,” he said. “She was never a suspect in the case.” | A legal source said Wawman was not connected to any of the items pictured under her name. “She was in detention only from 9am till 5pm,” he said. “She was never a suspect in the case.” |
| Speaking to the Sun after her arrest, Wawman reportedly said: “I’m entirely innocent yet the world now knows me as the Barbie Bandit. I’ve been set up and humiliated by the police and my life is ruined. Anyone who knows me will tell you I wouldn’t say boo to a goose.” | Speaking to the Sun after her arrest, Wawman reportedly said: “I’m entirely innocent yet the world now knows me as the Barbie Bandit. I’ve been set up and humiliated by the police and my life is ruined. Anyone who knows me will tell you I wouldn’t say boo to a goose.” |
| Wawman moved to Argentina some years ago to live with her Argentinian stepmother and had a child with an Argentinian boyfriend. She is believed to be considering returning to Britain, although she will need the legal approval of her child’s father to leave the country with her child. | Wawman moved to Argentina some years ago to live with her Argentinian stepmother and had a child with an Argentinian boyfriend. She is believed to be considering returning to Britain, although she will need the legal approval of her child’s father to leave the country with her child. |
| The British embassy declined to elaborate on the case. “We were in contact with a British national following their arrest in Buenos Aires to provide assistance,” an embassy spokesperson said. | The British embassy declined to elaborate on the case. “We were in contact with a British national following their arrest in Buenos Aires to provide assistance,” an embassy spokesperson said. |