A new trend among robbers attracted the attention of the authorities in São Paulo city. To easily approach their victims and facilitate their flight, criminals started to dress as delivery men. The problem hit the headlines after a victim was murdered during an assault and the action was captured by security cameras. The attacks gained more relevance with the announcement of strong increases in criminal records in March. The scenario led the state government to change the heads of security forces and implement operations and new measures to fight the crimes.
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THE FAKE DELIVERY MEN ATTACKS
In the past weeks, crimes committed by fake delivery men in São Paulo Metropolitan region made headlines. The criminals dress themselves as delivery men, use motorcycles to move quickly and even carry official delivery bags from famous companies. Armed with a revolver or a pistol, they normally attack distracted pedestrians, particularly those that display a valuable item on their hands, such as a cell phone.
Among the various similar crimes that have been recorded daily, three were registered by security cameras and drew public attention. On April 22nd, two robberies committed by fake delivery men took place on the same spot of Rua Mateus Grou, Pinheiros, West Zone. In the first, at around 7h, an armed robber circulated the area on his motorbike until finding a victim, a man walking his dog with a cell phone on his hand. The victim resisted, which is not advised to do, and escaped after fighting the criminal. In the second, at around 21h, a robber, using similar procedures, attacked a couple, who gave their belongs and ran. The third incident is an example of how bad such attacks can end when the victim resists. On April 25th, in R. Freire Farto, Jabaquara, near Congonhas Airport, at 22h, a robber dressed as a delivery man demanded the cell phones of a couple. However, one of the victims fought the criminal, who shot him dead.
Robbers use delivery backpacks and jackets to disguise themselves and to avoid drawing victims’ attention. The accessories help them escape, as they mingle with hundreds of other bikers with similar backpacks roaming the streets. The items can be bought or even provided by the companies.
In addition to these crimes, there are also reports of scams during the delivery of orders. In these cases, fake couriers often rent accounts on major apps or bypass companies’ identity verification systems. In one of the most popular scams, criminals use credit card machines with a broken or tampered display and enter amounts greater than the order value. With the screen broken, the customer cannot verify how much he is paying.
INCREASE IN ROBBERIES AND THEFTS
The rise of this new criminal modus operandi comes amid an increase in crimes reported in São Paulo state in March. According to data from the Public Security Secretariat (SSP), when compared to the same period in 2021,thefts went up by 52%, (33.237 to 50.467), and robberies, by 22% (16.951 to 20.719). Worsening conditions were also verified in the capital. During the same period, in São Paulo city, robberies grew by 25% (9.548 to 11.937), and thefts, by 72% (12.192 to 21.005). Vehicle robberies and thefts also increased, the first by 32%, and the other, by 34%.
THE PREFERRED TARGET
In most of the fake delivery men attacks and other robberies, one item is constantly demanded by criminals, the cell phone. A survey by the Brazilian Public Security Forum (FBSP) recently indicated that, in the first two months of this year, more than 17.000 cell phones were stolen in São Paulo city, one every five minutes. This is partially explained by the prices of these devices, some can cost up to R$ 15.000. Even if the robbers cannot unlock and resell them, they can trade the parts on the parallel market. However, according to the FBSP, criminals are also attracted by the bank and personnel information stored in these electronics. Many have forced victims to give their passwords or have stolen the phones already unlocked, which allows them to easily bypass the security systems and transfer money from their victims’ bank accounts.
FIGHTING THE FAKE DELIVERYMEN
After the steep increase in crime reports in March in the capital and in the state, as well as the series of attacks by fake delivery men, Governor Rodrigo Garcia changed leaderships of the security forces. Colonel Ronaldo Vieira was appointed as the new Military Police commander, and Osvaldo Nico Gonçalves was appointed head of the Civil Police.To tackle the tactic of criminals who dress themselves as delivery men, the government planned a special operation named “Sufoco”. It will count with extra agents of the Military Police (PM) and the Civil Guard (GCM) on the streets to approach and search suspicious bikers. Currently, 5.000 police officers patrol the São Paulo city daily, but the number will reach 9.700 agents per day. In addition, the government defined with the delivery companies a system of inspection of their employees, including the exchange of information with the security forces. Furthermore, the association that represent bars and restaurants asked delivery companies to provide a form of identification in the thermal backpacks used by workers. Meanwhile, the association (AMABR) that represents the couriers support the registration of workers by the City Hall.
