SÃO PAULO SECURITY INCIDENTS – SEPTEMBER MONTHLY BULLETIN

Between 2 August and 11 September, Rua Joaquim Antunes in Pinheiros, West zone, saw four armed robberies carried out by motorcyclists targeting pedestrians. In the latest case, on 11 September, one victim fainted during the assault. The same street was also the site of a January 23 killing, when 23-year-old Vitor Rocha e Silva was shot dead after resisting a robbery. Despite authorities citing a drop in local robbery rates, residents report growing insecurity.

02/09/2025 – The São Paulo state government launched a new phase of the SP Mobile program on Tuesday (02/09), issuing alerts to about 700 people identified as being in possession of stolen or robbed cell phones. The system cross-checks police reports with data from telecom operators to detect devices reactivated after theft. Recipients of the notification will have three business days to voluntarily return the phones to a designated location. If they fail to do so, cases will be forwarded to the Civil Police for search and seizure, and individuals may face charges of receiving stolen goods. Since June, around 3,500 devices have been recovered, with 52% returned to victims.

02/09/2025 – A civil police officer was beaten to death on Tuesday night (02/09) in the Favela do Gato, in the Bom Retiro district, central São Paulo. The Military Police suspect he was lynched after an altercation with residents. His body, found at around 03:00 on Wednesday (03/09), showed severe head and chest injuries. The officer worked for the State Department of Narcotics Investigations (Denarc). According to police, five suspects were detained for questioning. One alleged that the officer forced entry into an apartment, shot him in the leg, and was then attacked by locals. The injured man, a fugitive with prior domestic violence charges, was detained in a hospital. The Department of Homicide (DHPP) is investigating whether the shot came from the officer’s weapon, which, along with his car, was found near the scene. The motive and circumstances remain under investigation.

03/09/2025 – On Wednesday (03/09), São Paulo’s Attorney General’s Office charged a judge, a court clerk, and 12 others with scam and organized crime, after uncovering a scheme in the 2nd Civil Court of Itapevi that manipulated cases to divert funds. In August 2024, a joint operation seized R$1.7 million hidden in the judge’s attic in Jundiaí. Among the accused is a former TSE expert, and one of the victims was a businessman who died in 2023. In May 2025, the São Paulo Court of Justice had already imposed compulsory retirement on the judge, though he continued to receive a salary of R$143,000 until April; he now receives proportional benefits.

03/09/2025 – A man suspected of firing eight shots at a metropolitan civil guard during an attempted robbery in Moema, in São Paulo’s South Zone, was arrested on Wednesday (03/09), near his home in a community in Jabaquara, South Zone. The crime took place on 14 August, when the off-duty guard was approached on Alameda dos Aicás by an armed assailant who arrived on a motorcycle and opened fire, hitting his leg and ankle. The victim survived and is recovering at home. During the arrest, police seized cell phones from the suspect.

03/09/2025 – On Wednesday (03/09), in Jabaquara, South Zone, a driver ran over the motorcycle and rider who had just robbed him. Security footage shows the car accelerating and knocking down the thief and the bike. When the driver got out of the vehicle, the assailant pulled a gun and fired two shots, hitting him. The victim was taken to a hospital. Another accomplice arrived on a second motorcycle to help the shooter escape. Civil Police are analyzing the images to identify and arrest the suspects, while authorities stress that victims should never react during robberies.

04/09/2025 – On Thursday (04/09), the Federal Police launched Operation Sibila in São Paulo, targeting a criminal organization involved in money laundering and currency evasion through cryptocurrencies. Authorities executed five temporary arrest warrants and ten search and seizure orders, along with asset freezes and value seizures ordered by the Federal Court. By early morning, three suspects had been arrested, one was already in custody, and another is reportedly in Dubai. Police seized over R$700,000 in cash, two armored luxury vehicles, crypto wallet access keys, and other materials. According to investigators, the suspects acted as financial operators in the illicit crypto market. The action is a follow-up to Operation Colossus, carried out in January 2024, which dismantled a network that laundered more than R$50 billion using crypto assets between December 2020 and January 2024.

04/09/2025 – A 32-year-old woman from Guarujá was arrested at Guarulhos Airport on Thursday (04/09) after arriving from Paris with 9.3 kilos of hashish hidden in a false-bottom suitcase. Police found 61 bricks and 72 sticks of the drug, valued at around R$570,000, destined for distribution in the Baixada Santista. She admitted she would receive R$20,000 for transport. Investigations indicate a criminal network recruits women to smuggle drugs between Europe and Brazil, taking advantage of seasonal travel. The woman was charged with international drug trafficking.

05/09/2025 – Police in São Paulo carried out search and seizure warrant on Friday (05/09) at the homes of influencer Samuel Sant’Anna, known as “Gato Preto,” and his bodyguard, seizing a red Porsche and several phones. The operation, led by the 15th Police District (Itaim Bibi), comes after Gato Preto crashed a black Porsche into a Hyundai while running a red light on Avenida Faria Lima on 20 August, injuring a child. Investigators now suspect the influencer is involved with money laundering, since the red Porsche is registered under a straw owner with no financial capacity. Materials will also be shared with Rio de Janeiro police, who probe Gato Preto and his partner Bia Miranda for illegal online gambling promotion. The influencer refused a breathalyzer and left the accident scene without assisting victims.

05/09/2025 – A university professor, 66, was shot dead during an attempted robbery in the Ipiranga district, South São Paulo, early Friday (05/09). Security footage shows two men on a motorcycle targeting drivers; the professor tried to flee but was hit in the back and crashed into a pole. Police are investigating the case as robbery followed by death. The victim had taught for 27 years at USCS, ETEC, and Fatec, where colleagues and students remembered him as a dedicated mentor and “pure love.”

06/09/2025 – A 61-year-old woman was kidnapped on Saturday afternoon (06/09) in Campo Belo, South Zone, as she arrived at her father’s house. Two criminals forced her into a Duster and later returned to steal her car. She remained captive for nearly 12 hours before being released at 04:00. Sunday (07/09) in a wooded area of Itapecerica da Serra, where she managed to call family for help. Police found the suspects’ vehicle with false plates abandoned nearby. The case is under investigation by the Anti-Kidnapping Division.

07/09/2025 – In São Paulo’s South Zone, two men on a motorcycle set fire to a Porsche Boxster convertible on Rua Ferdinando Paer, Jardim Célia, on Sunday morning (07/09), Independence Day. Security cameras recorded one of the attackers cutting the car’s roof, pouring gasoline, and igniting the flames before fleeing with his accomplice. Neighbors rushed to contain the blaze, preventing injuries, but damages exceeded R$ 80,000.

07/09/2025 – On the morning of Brazil’s Independence Day (07/09), Military Police riot units used tear gas to disperse around 100 members of the Movement for Struggle in Neighborhoods, Villages and Slums (MLB) who had occupied an abandoned public building in São Paulo’s Liberdade district to protest the lack of affordable housing. Demonstrators reported that children were present inside when police intervened and criticized the use of force against what they described as a peaceful act. The action was part of a nationwide protest in 18 cities under the slogan “No independence or sovereignty without the right to housing.” The MLB stated that the occupied buildings, many owned by the INSS, had long been abandoned and failed to serve as a social function.

08/09/2025 – In São Paulo’s downtown, a joint operation by the Public Prosecutor’s Office and Military Police arrested seven people on Monday (08/09), accused of running a criminal network in the Favela do Moinho, in the Bom Retiro neighborhood, and supplying drugs to Cracolândia. Among those detained was Alessandra Moja, who posed as a community leader but allegedly acted to protect the interests of her brother, a PCC member already in prison. The group is also accused of extorting families who agreed to leave the favela for government-provided housing. In total, authorities executed ten arrest warrants and 21 search and seizure orders, dismantling a scheme that combined drug trafficking, weapons storage, and the manipulation of social movements to resist the relocation of residents.

09/09/2025 – On Tuesday (09/09), Military Police arrested 12 people, including two minors, in an operation in the Brás district, downtown São Paulo, for running a “Zona Azul” scam. The suspects posed as authorized sellers of the official digital parking system (Cartão Azul Digital), issuing fake tickets that left unsuspecting drivers fined during inspections. Around 20 people had been under investigation in recent months, and police mapped key spots where the scheme was carried out to identify those responsible and protect potential victims.

09/09/2025 – On Tuesday (09/09), police arrested a pregnant woman, her 16-year-old daughter, and two others for stealing from multiple stores at Shopping Mooca, East São Paulo. The group took cell phones, sneakers, sportswear, and perfumes, with one store alone reporting losses exceeding R$ 60,000 after entry was gained using a cloned remote. Security cameras captured the thefts. Authorities are still searching for a fifth suspect, while the mall stated the case was isolated and operations continue normally.

09/09/2025 – On Tuesday morning (09/09), a security guard was shot dead in front of a nightclub in Mooca, East Zone. The gunman chased the victim at 06:16, fired several shots, and fled on a motorcycle; an off-duty military police officer was also shot in the leg but is not at risk. According to witnesses, the conflict began around 03:30 when a customer expelled from the club tried to force his way back in after being removed with a chokehold.

10/09/2025 – On Wednesday (10/09), a 34-year-old lawyer was stabbed to death in an apartment on Rua Major Diogo, Bela Vista, central region of São Paulo. Police arrested a 29-year-old man at the scene and seized the weapon. A young woman, who had spent the night in the apartment with the two men, told police that after hours of drinking and cocaine use, the suspect began harassing her; when the victim intervened to defend her, he was fatally attacked.

10/09/2025 – On Wednesday night (10/09), a double femicide occurred in Cidade Tiradentes, East Zone, where a 29-year-old woman and her 54-year-old mother were fatally stabbed while attempting to seek help after being attacked near the suspect’s residence. The main suspect, the woman’s ex-partner, allegedly lured her by threatening to kill their four-month-old daughter, then assaulted both victims with a knife before fleeing; the child was unharmed and is now with maternal relatives. According to family members, he had previously threatened, kidnapped, and even attempted to run over the victim, leading police to classify the case as double femicide.

11/09/2025 – On Thursday (11/09), police arrested a 20-year-old man accused of shooting a military police officer in the neck during a stop in Paraisópolis, South São Paulo, last month. The attack, recorded by witnesses and the officer’s body camera, occurred while the officer pursued suspects of robberies in a nearby area. Despite being hit, the officer survived. Another suspect had previously been arrested for stealing the officer’s weapon during the incident but was released last week. The firearm was later recovered in Campo Limpo. The case remains under investigation by São Paulo’s Public Security Secretariat.

11/09/2025 – On Thursday (11/09), São Paulo Civil Police arrested 14 members of a gang suspected of stealing more than 60 luxury motorcycles and illegally selling their parts online. The group also engaged in fraud involving cloned and falsified public transport cards. The operation, named Orbis Clausus after four months of investigation, was led by the 4th Precinct of the Division for Vehicle Thefts and Robberies (Divecar/Deic). According to police, the gang operated in two branches: one dedicated to armed motorcycle thefts, using lookouts, fences, and arms suppliers, and another focused on technological fraud. Out of 20 suspects identified, 11 were arrested on Thursday, one was already in prison, and two were killed in confrontations during the investigation.

12/09/2025 – On Friday morning (12/09), a man was shot dead by a Military Police officer while attempting to rob two women in a car at a traffic light on Estrada de Itapecerica, Jardim Monte Azul, South São Paulo. The suspect, armed and riding a stolen motorcycle with fake plates, demanded the victims’ rings before being confronted by the officer, who opened fire when the assailant resisted. The man died at the scene, and the case was recorded as death from police intervention, attempted robbery, and vehicle tampering.

12/09/2025 – On Friday (12/09), the Federal Police arrested eight people in São Paulo while they attempted to hack into Caixa Econômica Federal’s PIX system using a stolen workstation from a branch in Brás. The group, aged between 22 and 46, was caught in the act and had their arrests converted into preventive detention. Investigators link them to two other major cyberattacks: one in June against BMP, with losses of R$ 800 million, and another against a PIX technology platform, causing R$ 400 million in damages. Together, the frauds amount to R$ 1.2 billion. The Federal Police continue to investigate other possible accomplices, including insiders at financial institutions.

15/09/2025 – On Monday (15/09), police arrested a man in the Vila Prudente neighborhood, East Zone, suspected of involvement in the death of Argentine tourist Alejandro Mario Ainsworth, 54, whose body was found on 12 September in Rio’s West Zone. Security cameras showed him with Ainsworth leaving a nightclub in Copacabana on 8 September and later using the victim’s bank card. Investigators suspect a “Boa noite, Cinderela” drugging scheme (Spiked Drink Scam), as Ainsworth’s accounts recorded withdrawals, password changes, and loan requests. The Homicide Division is leading the case, with forensic exams pending to confirm the cause of death.

17/09/2025 – On Wednesday (17/09), São Paulo police launched Operation China Trick to dismantle a criminal group of Chinese nationals accused of financial fraud exceeding R$ 50 million. The suspects lured victims across Brazil through fake investment groups on social media and fraudulent apps imitating a major digital bank, initially paying dividends to gain trust before blocking withdrawals and disappearing with the money. One suspect was arrested, while search and seizure warrants were executed, and authorities continue to pursue a fugitive.

18/09/2025 – On Thursday (18/09), around noon, an inmate escaped from the Centro de Progressão Penitenciária (CPP) of Butantã, in São Paulo’s West Zone, with the help of armed men who stormed the facility. According to the Penitentiary Administration Secretariat, the attackers took advantage of a delivery truck’s entrance, overpowered a guard, and rescued the prisoner without causing injuries. The fugitive, convicted of theft and serving a 12-year sentence, was identified as the leader of a gang specialized in stealing luxury cars. Military Police were called at 12:15 and are conducting searches in the area.

18/09/2025 – On Thursday (18/09), an off-duty military police officer reacted to an attempted robbery on Rua Engenheiro José Cruz de Oliveira in Vila Jacuí, East Zone, and fatally shot a 16-year-old suspect, who later died at the hospital. Another suspect, aged 22, was also shot and remains hospitalized under police guard. A replica firearm was seized, and the case was registered at the 63rd Police District, which requested the preventive detention of the surviving suspect and the involvement of the Homicide and Personal Protection Department (DHPP).

19/09/2025 – On Friday (19/09), criminals invaded several houses in the upscale Morumbi neighborhood, South Zone, after first entering through a nearby municipal daycare. Neighbors noticed the movement and called the police, prompting the suspects to flee across rooftops, threatening residents and taking people hostage in two homes. There was an exchange of gunfire during the pursuit, and two suspects were arrested. The case was registered at the 89th Police District, and classes at the daycare were canceled following the incident.

19/09/2025 – On Friday (19/09), civil police arrested, in the Paraisópolis favela, a man identified as São Paulo’s most prolific home burglar. According to investigations, he led a gang specializing in residential invasions in upscale neighborhoods like Morumbi. The arrest came hours after an attempted robbery in Morumbi, where criminals clashed with police, fled across rooftops, and briefly held a family hostage before two suspects were captured. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the suspect was directly involved in that incident.

20/09/2025 – On Saturday night (20/09), Military Police arrested in Vila Curuçá, East Zone, the man wanted for stabbing to death his ex-girlfriend, on 6 April 2023. The victim had filed two police reports against him for threats, domestic violence, and harassment, the last one just two days before her murder. Despite a protective measure being granted, the suspect continued to stalk her, and the case was recorded as feminicide.

23/09/2025 – On Tuesday (23/09), the president of the Império de Casa Verde samba school and vice-president of the São Paulo Carnival League was arrested in an operation against international drug trafficking and money laundering. Conducted by FICCO-SP, the action executed 22 arrest warrants and 40 searches in five states, including the samba school’s headquarters. The investigation began after 458 kg of cocaine were seized in 2021 in Barcarena (PA) bound for Rotterdam, uncovering a scheme using fictitious companies and legal businesses to launder money, with assets frozen up to R$ 291.5 million.

23/09/2025 – On Tuesday (23/09), the São Paulo Civil Police launched an operation against a group suspected of diverting over R$146 million through fraudulent PIX transactions. The main target, an entrepreneur and influencer, had his arrest ordered but remains at large, while two other suspects were arrested. The “Dubai Operation” executed search and seizure warrants at luxury addresses in the capital, and investigations revealed that the scheme involved hundreds of transfers carried out in just a few hours.

23/09/2025 – On Tuesday (23/09), the Military Police killed in Vila Curuçá, East Zone, a member of the “Bonde dos 14”, a PCC cell that once included the then Civil Police chief in a death list. Fugitive since 2022 after not returning from temporary leave, he was serving a homicide sentence and had an extensive criminal record. According to the police, he shot at the agents during the approach and was killed on the spot. Investigations indicate he acted as a disciplinary leader of the PCC in the region, overseeing members at liberty.

24/09/2025 – On Wednesday (24/09), the director of São Paulo’s Demacro, Luiz Carlos do Carmo, was targeted in an attempted robbery on Rua Padre de Carvalho in Pinheiros, West Zone. Accompanied by another delegate, he reacted and fired at the assailant, who, though wounded, managed to escape on a motorcycle, leaving his weapon behind. Civil Police units, including Garra, were mobilized at the scene, and investigations are underway to identify and arrest the suspect.

25/09/2025 – On Thursday (25/09), the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Federal Revenue Service launched an operation against the PCC, which launders money through gas stations, hotels, and motels in São Paulo. Authorities executed 25 warrants in a scheme linked to illegal gambling and adulterated fuel, which began in Santos. The investigations are also connected to Operation Hidden Carbon, which uncovered R$17.7 billion in suspicious transactions by BK Bank and the gang’s attempt to control part of the fuel supply chain.

26/09/2025 – On Friday (26/09), São Paulo Civil Police carried out an operation against organized crime linked to burglaries of residences and mansions, serving six search warrants and one of two arrest warrants in communities in the city’s West Zone and in the state’s interior. Over 80 officers took part, resulting in the arrest of one suspect tied to the Itapetininga gang, while another remains at large; a third man was detained for questioning. Cell phones were seized for analysis. Authorities clarified the action focused on home robbery cases, though a separate task force continues to investigate the 15 September ambush killing of former police chief Ruy Ferraz Fontes in Praia Grande, where four suspects have already been arrested and four others are still wanted.

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