In the early hours of Tuesday (13/01) morning, a group of 14 hooded youths carried out a coordinated attack on a motorcycle dealership in Itajaí, on the coast of Santa Catarina. In just a few minutes, the suspects smashed the storefront window, stormed the premises, and fled with 12 brand-new motorcycles. Surveillance footage shows the group acting quickly and aggressively, overwhelming the location before any response could be mounted. The case is part of a broader pattern: similar robberies have been reported in different states, and in December alone, at least five motorcycle dealerships were targeted in comparable actions.
This Content Is Only For Subscribers
To unlock this content, subscribe to INTERLIRA Reports.
Other Cases
Comparable incidents have been recorded across the country. In Belo Horizonte, four criminals managed to steal three motorcycles in less than a minute. In Campinas, eight men invaded a dealership and took five motorcycles in approximately two minutes. In Campo Limpo Paulista, another group of eight suspects escaped with three vehicles, also in swift and coordinated action, reinforcing concerns about the spread of this modus operandi.
Crime in Itajaí
The operation in Itajaí stood out for its level of disorganization despite its audacity. Some of the suspects fell while mounting the motorcycles, others crashed into display windows, and a bottleneck even formed at the exit when three motorcycles became stuck in the doorway. Despite the chaos, all participants managed to flee the scene. According to police chief Ricardo Melo, the entire action lasted just over two minutes. “It was a crime that drew attention both for its boldness and for the clumsy way the perpetrators acted. One of them was even run over by his own accomplices during the escape,” he said. Investigators later determined how the group was able to start the motorcycles so quickly: one of the suspects had visited the dealership the day before, posing as a potential customer, and noticed that some vehicles were left with the keys in the ignition. One of the stolen motorcycles was later found abandoned on a deserted street.
Increase in Crimes
The rise in this type of crime has raised alarms among manufacturers, dealers, and vehicle-tracking companies. Fernando Correia, operations manager at a firm in the sector, said demand for tracking services has increased as a result of the recent wave of robberies. “More contracts are being signed because dealers and buyers are seeking greater protection. Today, some motorcycles already come equipped with factory-installed tracking systems, which significantly improves the chances of recovery,” he explained.
São Paulo
The state of São Paulo concentrates the largest number of such cases. In São Vicente, armed criminals invaded a dealership, threatened customers and employees, and stole three motorcycles in a matter of moments. The same establishment had already been targeted in 2024, indicating repeat victimization. In the most recent case, police managed to arrest two suspects and recover three of the stolen vehicles, but authorities warn that the frequency and speed of these attacks pose an ongoing challenge for law enforcement.
Analysis:
The attack in Itajaí illustrates the consolidation of a highly opportunistic but increasingly standardized criminal pattern targeting motorcycle dealerships. These groups rely on speed, numerical superiority, and surprise rather than technical sophistication, aiming to overwhelm physical security and escape before police response is possible. The recurrence of nearly identical actions in different states suggests the rapid diffusion of this tactic, likely facilitated by social networks and informal criminal learning, even if the executions themselves remain poorly coordinated.
From a security perspective, these crimes expose structural vulnerabilities in dealership operations, particularly regarding access control and basic preventive measures. The discovery that some motorcycles were left with keys in the ignition shows how routine practices can significantly reduce the time and risk for offenders. While the chaotic execution in Itajaí demonstrates limited professionalism, the short duration of the attacks shows that even disorganized groups can succeed when targets lack layered security and rapid alert mechanisms.
