Pirates attack luxury hotels in Brazil

A team of armed robbers stormed a luxury hotel in Brazil, robbed of money and phone at least 10 visitors.

According to local police officers, four men broke into the Santa Teresa Hotel in downtown Rio de Janeiro yesterday morning. Brazilian media said a security camera showed the gunman passed fence, broke into the hotel and steal money and personal belongings of guests, including foreign tourists.

The robbers then fled. No casualties were reported. According to the website of Hotel Santa Teresa, the name of the neighborhood where the hotel is located that is to bring safety and peace for the tourists.

Police stand outside the Hotel Intercontinental in hostage cases in Rio in August last year.

In August last year, also in the city of Rio, the gunmen have arrested a group of 30 people hostage at the Hotel Intercontinental, Sao Conrado area, after a gun battle with police in the road nearby. The authorities have increased efforts to tackle crime with the deployment of police units in recent months.

Rio authorities have occupied some of the slums to root out drug gangs and resolve the violence. But security is a big problem for Rio, the city preparing to host two major sporting events as World Cup 2014 and Olympics 2016.