Data from the Rio de Janeiro Public Security Institute (ISP) shows that vehicle theft in April reached its lowest level for the month since 2014. However, the total number of thefts increased by 22%, with cell phone thefts rising by 29% compared to April last year. The figures also show that from January to April 2025, 8,757 devices were stolen — an average of 73 per day.
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Cell Phone Theft
The number of cell phone thefts made the first four months of 2025 the second worst in Rio’s historical series, which began in 2003. In the first 4 months of 2024, 6.500 cell phones were stolen. In 2025, 8.700 were stolen. This year, the areas with the highest number of cases of this type of crime are the 59th Police Precinct (Duque de Caxias), 64th Police Precinct (São João de Meriti), and 5th Police Precinct (Mem de Sá).
Cargo Theft
The data shows that the number of cargo thefts in the state remained stable in April, with a slight increase of 4%. Despite this, in the first four months of the year, there was a 33% increase compared to 2024. Recently, the Military Police launched a project that reduced cases in the Complexo da Maré, in Rio’s North Zone. The corporation has been installing concrete barriers, known as “Jersey” blocks, at access points to the favelas, resulting in a sharp drop in these crimes. In April, incidents fell by 55% in the area covered by the 22nd BPM (Maré).
Weapon Seizures
The number of weapons seized increased this year after a decline in 2024. From January to April, 2,185 weapons were taken off the streets — a 7.3% increase compared to the same period last year. On average, this equates to the seizure of 18 firearms per day. Rifle seizures also rose: 263 were confiscated in the first four months of 2025, a 10% increase over the 239 recorded last year.
Deaths in Operations
April was also marked by the new rules defined by the Supreme Federal Court (STF) in ADPF 635 on police operations in Rio’s favelas. The conclusion of the trial did not affect the number of operations, but there was an increase in deaths during confrontations with police. According to the ISP, there were 80 cases of homicides due to police intervention in April 2025, a 45% rise compared to the same month in 2024. The area with the most deaths in confrontations was the 60th DP (Campos Elíseos), with seven cases — all of which occurred during an operation at the end of April targeting suspects involved in a shooting attack on the police station headquarters two months earlier.
Shootings Near Expressways
According to data from the Fogo Cruzado Institute, since 2016 there have been 49 shootings near Linha Amarela, 267 near Avenida Brasil, and 52 near Linha Vermelha. In 2025, there have been 7 shootings on Avenida Brasil, 1 on Linha Vermelha, and 1 on Linha Amarela. These incidents extend beyond expressways and significantly affect essential services: in the first three months of the year, 300 schools were impacted by violence, 263 health units had their operations fully suspended, 590 experienced partial closures, and 246 bus lines and 4 train lines were disrupted.
Analysis:
The recent data from the ISP reveals a complex picture of public security in Rio de Janeiro. While the reduction in vehicle thefts is a positive sign, the significant increase in cell phone thefts and the continued rise in cargo thefts reflect shifting criminal dynamics. These changes suggest that while some forms of property crime may be declining due to targeted policing or technological deterrents, others are filling the gap—often those that are harder to prevent or involve more vulnerable targets.
The rise in weapon seizures, including rifles, further confirms the persistent presence of heavily armed groups, which continue to pose a serious threat to public security and law enforcement.
