25/02/2023 – A military police officer was stabbed during a traffic discussion on Maria Amália Lopez Azevedo Street in Tremembé, North Zone. The fight began when the police officer caught the attention of a driver after an improper overtaking. Disgusted, the man began to curse. The police officer then parked, and they fought. At one point, the driver ran to the trunk of his car, took a knife, and struck two blows to the police officer’s leg. The man – which has not yet been identified – fled the scene.
25/02/2023 – An influencer had a luxury motorcycle stolen in Campo Belo, South Zone. He is a member of an automotive -specialized YouTube channel. According to the victim, he and another friend were producing content for the channel at the time of the crime. They had rented two luxury motorcycles to test its various items. They were approached and forced to get off the motorcycle. The robbers threatened them, telling them not to turn off the engine, otherwise they would shoot.
01/03/2023 – A couple was robbed and had their car stolen by armed criminals in the Sacomã neighborhood, South Zone. The armed criminals arrived violently and threatening the victims. Criminals took the car and all the victims’ belongings, including cell phones and watches.
01/03/2023 – Criminals stole the glass window of an armored car that was parked on a street in the Pinheiros neighborhood, West Zone. Criminals took advantage of the fact that the car was parked on the street to steal the glass, but what caught the attention of the owner was the fact that they took the entire glass and without damaging any other part of the car.
02/03/2023 – Police freed two men who were being held hostage on the same street in the north zone of São Paulo. According to one of the victims, he was kidnapped when he missed the exit on Marginal Pinheiros, while the other fell for the dating app scam. The police suspect that the two locations were used every day by the same criminals.
02/03/2023 – Criminals pretended to be cleaning products sellers to invade and rob houses in the East Zone of São Paulo. Criminals walked through the houses offering products and when the victim showed up, they broke into the house. Two men were filmed by security cameras. The duo stayed for almost five minutes and then left as if nothing had happened, taking bags with the stolen belongings.
04/03/2023 – A couple broke into a building in Vila Guilherme, North Zone, and stole an apartment. The owner was not at home when the criminals entered. They stole several electronics from the house and money. They left with a full suitcase without anyone noticing anything.
04/03/2023 – A woman was robbed by a man disguised as a delivery man on Avenida Moaci, in Planalto Paulista, South Zone. Security camera footage shows the moment the victim parks the car in front of her house. At that moment, a man wearing a helmet and a delivery bag approaches, he tries to open the passenger door, while tapping the gun on the glass and pointing towards the driver. After the theft the criminal runs back towards his motorcycle and flees.
05/03/2023 – Criminals made a mass robbery in the South Zone. Four cars were stolen in a row. A criminal was arrested when the Military Police managed to track down one of the stolen cell phones. All stolen belongings have been recovered. In addition to a weapon being seized with the arrested criminal.
07/03/2023 – A businessman was targeted by criminals at a nightclub in the West Zone, he felt a “sting” like that of an insect while he was in line. He blacked out and woke up 24 hours later, in a square, with his ribs broken, without his belongings and realized that R$37,000 had been stolen from his bank account.
08/03/2023 – An actor met someone through a dating app, made a date in the Capão Redondo neighborhood, South Zone, and disappeared. Days later, he was found dead and charred in a wooded area. The family managed to recognize him by a tattoo.
11/03/2023 – A woman was robbed on her way to work in Vila Marieta neighborhood, East Zone. The criminal, who was extremely violent, threw the woman to the ground and tore her clothes. All this to get the victim’s cell phone.
12/03/2023 – A model was kidnapped and robbed by three criminals in the Jardins neighborhood, West Zone. The victim asked for an app car, and during the journey the driver stopped the car and two other criminals entered announcing the robbery. They took her cell phone and forced her to pass passwords for them to make bank transfers. In addition to applying scams to relatives and friends of the model. The police managed to arrest the three criminals.
13/03/2023 – A private school in Perdizes, a neighborhood in the West Zone, was threatened during an attempted scam via Pix. In the morning, a man called the school secretary and said he would shoot and invade the school if a transfer was not made via Pix. The employee who answered the call realized it was a scam and called the police.
14/03/2023 – The Military Police arrested a gang that applied the card machine scam at the concerts of the English band Coldplay at Estádio do Morumbi, South Zone. To deceive the victims, they sold counterfeit products and at the time of payment, the criminals changed the victims’ cards and transferred money from their bank accounts.
16/03/2023 – A Jiu-jitsu teacher was shot during an attempted robbery in the Avenida Vereador José Diniz, Santo Amaro neighborhood, South Zone. Two criminals on a motorcycle approached him at a traffic light. They wanted the fighter’s motorcycle, but the instructor reacted and was shot.
17/03/2023 – Two men were victims of the dating app scam after arranging a meeting through a dating app, being taken into captivity, tied up and robbed in the Jaguará neighborhood, West Zone. According to the Military Police, one of the victims managed to break free and flee, going straight to a police station, where he reported the crime.
21/03/2023 – A gang invaded the parking lot of a hotel in Brooklin, South Zone, and stole three luxury vehicles. One criminal was arrested, and two vehicles were recovered. According to the Military Police, about four criminals arrived at the scene and identified themselves as customers. When they managed to enter the parking lot, the group surrendered the employees. They even stole several of the workers’ personal belongings. After the crime, the Military Police were called and informed about the tracking of one of the cell phones taken by the gang. With this information, it was possible to locate one of the criminals and the cars.
22/03/2023 – Six criminals were arrested after holding a family hostage on Rua Padre Pedro Rota, in Vila Alpina, East Zone. According to the Military Police, around 1:30 am the gang arrived at the address and entered the house, announcing the robbery and surrendering the victims. The family consisted of a couple, their two-year-old son, and an elderly woman. All were tied up and threatened by the criminals, who were armed. Neighbors noticed the strange movement and called the police.
26/03/2023 – A man was surrendered and robbed by an armed robber when he was with friends at a table in a bar in Itaim Bibi neighborhood, West Zone. The bandit had a specific target: the luxury watch the man was wearing.
27/03/2023 – An app driver was kidnapped on Avenida Pedro Bueno in the Jabaquara neighborhood, South Zone. To surrender the worker, bandits pretended they were crossing the street. When the driver slowed down the vehicle, criminals surrendered him and took over the vehicle steering. Military Police on patrol noticed something strange in the car and stopped. During the approach they discovered the crime.
27/03/2023 – A 13-year-old teenager killed a teacher and injured four other people at a school on Rua Doutor Adolfo Melo Júnior, in Vila Sônia, West Zone. The attack took place around 7:30, when classes had already started. Parents of students said that there would have been fights between students in the last week. The author of the attacks would have been one of those involved and the teacher victim of the attack, one of those who separated the conflicts. Video from the security camera in the room where the attack took place shows the student attacking a teacher at the entrance to the classroom. He stabs the woman several times in the head. She tries to defend herself and falls to the ground. Then two employees appear to contain the student. The aggressor was apprehended and taken to a police station.
29/03/2023 – Drug users caused a chaos and destruction in the Cracolândia region, between Gusmões and Conselheiro Nébias streets, in downtown São Paulo. Security camera footage shows drug users breaking into a parking lot to use as shelter, when they are kicked out by security. Metropolitan Civil Guards (GCM) also appeared, trying to contain the crowd.
29/03/2023 – Two armed criminals, on a motorcycle, robbed singer MC Gui’s parents in the Jardim Anália Franco neighborhood, East Zone. Military police officers arrived when they were finishing the robbery, as they had already received complaints from other victims. One of the criminals, a minor, was arrested. The police seized a gun from him.
30/03/2023 – An 8-year-old boy was shot in the head when two criminals tried to rob a car with goods in Campo Limpo, South Zone. According to the Military Police (PM), a driver was making deliveries in the Jardim Umuarama region, escorted by a security guard on a motorcycle. At a certain point in the journey, two criminals, in a car, approached and tried to rob him, on Odemis Street. When the victim accelerated to try to escape, the criminals noticed and shot at the security guard. According to the PM, they missed and hit the head of a child who was on the boardwalk.
TRENDS & ADVICE
- Stay away from any protest most likely to occur in the city center, including Avenida Paulista, the MASP, Praça do Ciclista, Praça da Sé, Largo da Batata and Praça da Republica.
- Monitor the local media in order to circumvent protest locations, including social media.
- If caught in a demonstration: remain still and take the time to see which way the crowd is going; attempt to leave the area by going against the movement of the crowd; avoid using your mobile phone, taking pictures or filming the demonstration; go to the nearest building as soon as possible and wait until the situation clears; try to avoid contact with security forces if possible.
- Considering the high crime rate in São Paulo, business travelers and expatriates should comply with safety rules in order to reduce the risk linked to violent crime. In case of an assault, it is strictly recommended not to resist the attackers and avoid making any sharp movement that may irritate the assailants, who do not hesitate to open fire.
- Avoid, if possible, circulating through the neighborhoods in the East Zone due to the high rates of various crimes.
- Pay attention when trying to meet new people on the internet as criminals use the dating app and social networks to apply scams.
- Due to several police operations, drug users previously concentrated in a region called “Cracolândia” have spread across downtown, leading to an increase in petty crimes. Hence, avoid walking around with your cell phone in your hand, in addition to wearing jewels and expensive watches.
- The number of express kidnappings has increased lately due to a new method (PIX) that allows people to easily transfer money using bank apps. Cooperate in order to mitigate the risk of violence.
- Attention to the windows when inside a vehicle. Keep them closed, as criminals use heavy traffic to rob passengers that expose valuables.
- Keep in mind useful numbers: Emergency police number (190), and São Paulo tourist Police (+55 11 3120 4447).
