In 2025, the State of Rio de Janeiro registered 71,762 new cases of domestic violence between January and November, a figure expected to rise during the year-end festivities. To combat this trend, the Rio Court of Justice (TJRJ) has reinforced its support structures during the judicial break (December 20 – January 6), maintaining emergency services such as the “Maria da Penha Virtual” app for protection orders and the Cejuvida sheltering center. Authorities emphasize that victims can seek immediate help through the 190 (Police) or 180 (Women’s Hotline) numbers, which remain operational 24/7 to address urgent risks.
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26/12/2025 – On Friday (26), military police shot and killed the primary suspect in the murder of Sabina Mates in downtown Rio de Janeiro. The man, an ex-partner of the victim, was in Lapa after reports of an armed individual threatening bystanders; he was shot after pointing a pistol at officers. This development occurs as civil police investigate a surge in violence, with two additional femicides recorded in Inhoaíba and Mangaratiba (West Zone) within the same 24-hour period.
26/12/2025 – On Friday (26), a 42-year-old Military Police officer was arrested for an armed robbery at a bar in Vila Mimosa (North Zone) that occurred on December 17. Security footage captured the officer greeting a patron before pulling a gun, assaulting victims, and stealing cell phones and cash during a five-minute ordeal. He was apprehended in Curicica, Southwest Zone, and is currently held at the PM Prison Unit in Niterói.
27/12/2025 – On Saturday (27), a couple shoplifted twenty items of clothing, two handbags, perfume, and footwear from a store inside the Rio Sul Shopping mall in Botafogo, South Zone. The theft was reported by the store manager and mall security, who alerted the military police. Officers from the 2nd BPM intercepted the suspects while they were still in possession of the stolen goods.
27/12/2025 – On Saturday (27), in the Bangu neighborhood, West Zone, two men were shot and killed while riding a motorcycle on Estrada do Engenho. One victim was found still wearing a helmet next to the vehicle and was identified, while the identity of the second young man was not initially confirmed.
28/12/2025 – On Sunday (28), residents of Guaratiba, West Zone, blocked Avenida Dom João VI and set tires on fire near the Magarça BRT station to protest a week-long lack of water and electricity during extreme heat exceeding 35°C. The demonstration disrupted 3 BRT lines for nearly an hour before authorities cleared the lanes. The utility company Light attributed the outages to grid overload caused by illegal connections, while the water supplier Rio + Saneamento stated that repairs to the local pumping system were completed on Saturday (27).
28/12/2025 – On Sunday (28), at Recreio dos Bandeirantes beach, Southwest Zone, an innocent bystander was shot during a confrontation between two armed men near Lifeguard Station 12. According to O Globo, the suspects fled the scene immediately after the shooting, and the victim was rescued by firefighters and transported to a local hospital.
29/12/2025 – On Sunday (28) and Monday (29), “Operation Tatuí” on the Copacabana beach resulted in the seizure of hundreds of drinks and crates buried in the sand to be sold illegally during New Year’s Eve. Conducted by Seop along with the Municipal Guard, the action mainly targeted the area around the main stage where bottles of alcohol and water were hidden. These interventions also dismantled irregular camps, in accordance with the May 2025 decree aimed at better organizing public space along the coastline.
29/12/2025 – On Monday (29), the Rio de Janeiro Homicide Division arrested one of three suspects involved in the fatal stabbing of Priscilla da Silva Almeida, 40, aboard a BRT bus on Christmas Day. The suspect was apprehended at a hospital in the North Zone after being beaten by local criminals following the murder. In his statement, he confessed that the group boarded the bus to commit robberies, during which his accomplices stabbed the victim when she resisted the theft of her bag. Police are still searching for the two other suspects involved in the attack.
29/12/2025 – On Monday (29), an unidentified man was shot dead in the Jardim Boiúna area of Taquara, in the Southwest Zone. He was reportedly targeted while conducting illegal militia collections at local businesses on Rua dos Biólogos. The Homicide Division is investigating the case to identify those responsible, while the 18th BPM remains on alert in the region, which is known for territorial disputes between paramilitary groups.
30/12/2025 – On Tuesday (30), a joint operation by the Rio Civil Police intercepted approximately 2,000 inhalants of poppers and 31 high-caliber magazines being shipped from Complexo da Maré, North Zone. Disguised as Christmas gifts with trees and lights, the illegal cargo was found within a professional delivery logistics company destined for Bahia, Minas Gerais, and Goiás. Electronic surveillance allowed officers to track the route and seize the materials before they left the state, highlighting a major interstate trafficking network.
30/12/2025 – On Tuesday (30), Civil Police arrested a second suspect for the kidnapping and suspected murder of a 24-year-old newsstand worker. The individual was found hiding in a ceiling compartment near a water tank at a residence in Del Castilho, North Zone. The victim, who disappeared in late November in Niterói, is believed to have been targeted due to his involvement in the illegal cigarette trade.
31/12/2025 – On Wednesday (31), a woman was caught attempting to steal high-value groceries from a supermarket in Copacabana by swapping their price tags for $1.99 barcode stickers. Using a self-checkout terminal, she tried to pay for items worth over $330.00—including salmon and expensive jam—at the price of a soda. An alert employee noticed the discrepancy and called nearby officers from the 12th Precinct, who arrested the suspect in flagrante as she attempted to flee the store with the fraudulent labels.
31/12/2025 – On Wednesday (31), a fugitive wanted for robbery was arrested on Avenida Delfim Moreira in Leblon after being identified by the city’s new facial recognition technology. The arrest took place near the major New Year’s Eve celebration zone, where the Military Police had deployed 300 patrol cars equipped with real-time biometric scanning and license plate readers. This high-tech surveillance system, integrated with the Integrated Command and Control Center (CICC), was part of a massive security operation involving 3,500 officers and 16 security checkpoints to monitor the crowds during the festivities.
31/12/2025 – During the 2026 New Year’s Eve celebrations in Copacabana, Military Police seized more than 200 sharp objects, including knives, scissors, and box cutters, at 17 security checkpoints. The operation, which secured a crowd of 2.6 million people, also resulted in the recovery of 12 cellphones and smart glasses found during searches. This high-security initiative featured 3,500 officers and the debut of 300 patrol cars equipped with facial recognition technology linked directly to the Integrated Command and Control Center.
31/12/2025 – During the 2026 New Year’s Eve operations at Galeão International Airport, an international drug trafficking attempt was thwarted involving the transport of 2 kg of cocaine. The narcotics were hidden inside checked luggage intended for a flight to Madrid, Spain. Federal Police intercepted the suitcase during routine screening on Wednesday (31), leading to the immediate arrest of a Paraguayan national. The suspect was charged with international drug trafficking and remains in the state prison system awaiting trial.
01/01/2026 – On Thursday morning (1st), a man was beaten by a group of about 15 people at Posto 2 on Copacabana Beach after being accused of theft. Military Police intervened to stop the lynching, finding the individual with a head wound. Although witnesses claimed he had stolen a woman’s phone, she disappeared during the chaos. The suspect was handcuffed and taken to the police station for further investigation.
01/01/2026 – During the New Year’s celebrations on Thursday morning (1st), a massive theft was uncovered involving 29 cellphones and a professional camera stolen from tourists, including citizens from Poland and Peru. The criminals used bags with false bottoms lined with aluminum foil to shield the devices and prevent their GPS tracking signals from being detected. Following reports of a disturbance and shouting near the Copacabana Palace, local authorities identified and arrested a pregnant woman found in possession of the stolen goods, subsequently escorting her to the Tourist Police Station.
02/01/2026 – As of Friday (2), authorities reported that 258 inmates failed to return to prison following Christmas temporary leave, with over half identified as members of the Red Command. Among the high-profile fugitives is a notorious weapon and drug trafficker, previously arrested by Federal Police for leading major heists. Other missing gang leaders include those in charge of criminal operations in the Tuiuti, Fallet, and Magé regions. While 258 detainees fled, all 21 police officers and 23 militia members who were granted the same benefit returned to custody as scheduled.
