On Monday, August 25, 2026, beloved Argentine journalist and TV panelist Mariana Brey survived a terrifying armed robbery attempt in Quilmes, Buenos Aires. Two motorcycle-riding thieves targeted her outside her gym at midday. After a desperate chase and cries for help, local workers and neighbors scared off the assailants. Shaken but unharmed, Brey plans to file a formal complaint and is calling for stronger public safety measures.

Mariana Brey, a well-known Argentine journalist and panelist on the popular Telefe program “A la Barbarossa”, experienced a harrowing ordeal on Monday, August 25, 2026, when she was targeted by armed thieves in broad daylight in the city of Quilmes, in the southern zone of Greater Buenos Aires. The incident occurred around 3:30 PM as Brey was about to enter her gym.

In an interview with Teleshow, Brey recounted the terrifying moments: “I got out of my SUV and saw a black motorcycle cut across, stop, one of them got off, took off his helmet, and came running toward me with a gun.”

A Split-Second Escape

While sending a WhatsApp voice message, Brey noticed the motorcycle's suspicious movement. “When I saw him coming, I started running in heels, then kicked them off and kept running. I screamed, 'they're trying to rob me!' and started pounding on a metal gate for help,” she said. In her desperation, she left her belongings inside her vehicle, prioritizing her own safety above all.

The swift intervention of three employees from a nearby car wash and neighbors — one of whom was reportedly armed — proved crucial. The attackers fled the scene empty-handed.

Surveillance Video Shown on TV

A neighbor's security camera captured the entire assault, and the footage was broadcast on “A la Barbarossa”, where Brey shared her live testimony. “I got lucky; I avoided being shot or having my SUV stolen,” she said emotionally.

Emotional Toll and Call for Action

The aftermath left Brey with heart palpitations and sleeplessness. She confirmed she will file a formal police report and decided to go public with her ordeal to spotlight the rising insecurity affecting the Buenos Aires suburbs. “We must demand that authorities ensure citizen safety,” she urged.

A Broader Problem in Greater Buenos Aires

This incident is part of a worrying trend of robberies in the area, where residents have long denounced the lack of preventive policing. Brey, known for her media work, now becomes an unexpected voice for a community-wide demand for change.

Quilmes, located about 17 kilometers south of Buenos Aires city, has seen repeated complaints about insecurity. Local officials have yet to respond to this latest high-profile case, but neighbors are organizing to demand more patrols and better street lighting.

Sources: Teleshow and the program “A la Barbarossa” (Telefe).