For the third consecutive year, Avenida Paulista has topped the ranking of streets and avenues with the highest number of jewelry robberies in São Paulo, according to data from the interactive platform Mapa do Crime, produced by GLOBO. Last year, the avenue registered 12 cases and once again appeared at the top of the list during a period in which the city recorded 1,106 incidents of this type of crime — the highest number in the historical series and a 25% increase compared to 2023. The figures reinforce concerns about violent thefts in some of the capital’s busiest commercial and financial corridors, particularly in areas with high pedestrian circulation and a concentration of luxury goods. The increase in robberies involving luxury watches has also drawn attention, especially Rolex models, which have become frequent targets of organized criminal groups operating in upscale neighborhoods such as Jardins, Itaim Bibi, and along Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima.
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Other Important Avenues
Following Avenida Paulista in this year’s ranking are Avenida Jornalista Roberto Marinho and Avenida do Estado, both with 9 registered robberies involving jewelry and valuable personal accessories, followed by Avenida da Liberdade, which recorded 8 such cases. Avenida Giovanni Gronchi, Rua Heitor Penteado, and Avenida Professor Francisco Morato also appear among the most affected addresses, each with 7 reported incidents involving items such as chains, bracelets, rings, and luxury watches. The distribution of cases indicates that this type of crime is not restricted to the city center or high-income districts but extends across different strategic corridors with intense movement of vehicles and pedestrians.
Repetition
The continued presence of Avenida Paulista at the top of the ranking draws attention because of its consistency over the years, even as other streets and avenues fluctuate in the statistics. In 2024, the avenue registered 26 robberies, more than triple the number recorded on the second-placed street, Rua Vergueiro, which had 7 cases. Also appearing prominently that year were Rua Domingos de Morais, Avenida Giovanni Gronchi, and Rua Vinte e Cinco de Março, all with 6 occurrences each. A similar pattern had already been observed in 2023, when Avenida Paulista led with 22 reports, followed by Praça da Sé with 13. Rua da Cantareira, Avenida Morumbi, and Avenida Professor Francisco Morato were also among the areas with the highest concentration of incidents.
Robbery of Pedestrians vs. Cell Phone Robbery
Although robberies targeting pedestrians and cell phone thefts often occur simultaneously, authorities classify them separately in crime statistics. Robbery of pedestrians — also referred to as street robbery — includes the theft of personal belongings such as bags, jewelry, watches, or wallets through violence or intimidation in public spaces. Cell phone robbery, on the other hand, specifically involves the theft of mobile devices, which have become a preferred target because of their high resale value and potential use in digital fraud schemes. This distinction reflects the complexity of urban crime dynamics, as stolen phones frequently feed a broader illegal market involving fraudulent banking operations, dismantling of devices for parts, and illegal resale networks.
Luxury Watches
The city of São Paulo recorded 52 robberies involving Rolex watches last year, according to Mapa do Crime, the interactive platform maintained by GLOBO with data on violent robberies in the capital. The figures show that luxury watches continued to attract criminals in 2025, particularly in upper-class neighborhoods such as Jardins and Itaim Bibi. Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima, considered one of São Paulo’s main financial and corporate corridors and located between the two neighborhoods with the highest concentration of incidents, led the ranking of streets with the most Rolex robberies in 2025, totaling 6 registered cases. Between 2023 and 2025, the total number of robberies involving watches from the luxury brand reached 187. Among the police stations with the highest number of occurrences in 2025, those serving Itaim and Jardins occupied the first two positions, followed by the 14th Police Precinct, responsible for the Pinheiros region, with 18 reported cases.
Analysis:
The persistent concentration of jewelry robberies along avenues such as Avenida Paulista and Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima reflects a broader transformation in urban criminal dynamics in São Paulo. Criminal groups increasingly prioritize targets that combine high resale value, portability, and rapid liquidity, making luxury watches, chains, and other accessories particularly attractive. These crimes are often concentrated in strategic mobility corridors with intense circulation of executives, tourists, and high-income residents, allowing offenders to identify victims quickly and escape efficiently, frequently using motorcycles to navigate traffic and reduce the chances of interception by police patrols. The repeated appearance of the same avenues in crime rankings over consecutive years suggests that these robberies are not isolated events but part of a structured and adaptive criminal market.
