More than 600 people reported having their cell phones stolen during the seven days of Rock in Rio, which drew 730,000 visitors to the City of Rock, according to figures released by the Rio government on Monday (23). This alarming number is part of a broader trend in Rio de Janeiro, where police stations register a phone robbery or theft every nine minutes. These numbers highlight the growing challenge of phone thefts in the city, particularly during large events.
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Inside the Festival
In total, there were 889 incidents recorded. Of the total, almost 70% of them were cell phone thefts, totaling 614 incidents. Of the 614 reports of cell phone thefts, 573 were made inside the event. Security authorities emphasized that a private security company was responsible for the incidents inside the event.
Arrested
During the event, 38 people were arrested inside the City of Rock, 19 of whom were caught in the act.
Attempted Break-in
The last day of Rock in Rio 2024 saw an attempted invasion by a group of teenagers, according to the event organizers. They tried to force one of the fences at Cidade do Rock and the Military Police had to intervene. According to the Military Police, officers from the 31st BPM (Recreio dos Bandeirantes) were called to contain the attempted invasion of one of the entrances to Cidade do Rock. There were no records of arrests or seizures. When asked about the attempted break-in at Rock in Rio on Sunday (22), the Secretary of Public Security, Victor Santos, said that it is difficult to prevent this type of thing from happening.
Moments of Distraction
Reports show that criminals took advantage of moments during the festival’s shows as well as other situations where the public was distracted, such as when they were entering and leaving the bathrooms or when they were outside, on the way to the BRT to return home.
Police Operation
On Monday afternoon (16), the police carried out an operation in Uruguaiana, in the city center, in search of cell phones stolen at the event that could be being sold there. Two people were arrested, and 750 cell phones were seized.
Increase in Cell Phone Thefts in Rio
The state’s police stations record, on average, one cell phone theft or robbery every nine minutes. Between January and August of this year, according to data from the Public Security Institute (ISP), 13,854 devices were robbed, and 24,341 phones were stolen. Both rates increased in the first eight months of 2024, compared to the same period last year: cell phone robbery increased by 39.5%, while thefts increased by 15.6%.
The Epicenter
Downtown Rio is the epicenter of cell phone thefts and robberies. From January to August, 944 devices were robbed and 1,675 were stolen in the area of the Integrated Public Security District (Cisp), which covers Lapa and part of the city center.
Analysis:
The incidents at Rock in Rio, with over 800 cell phones reported stolen during the event, highlight the ongoing challenges in securing large-scale public gatherings in Rio de Janeiro. The sheer scale of the festival, attracting 730,000 visitors, presented a significant opportunity for criminal activity, especially for opportunistic theft in crowded environments. The number of thefts raises concerns about the effectiveness of the security protocols in place.
From a public safety standpoint, two major issues are evident. First, the focus is on reactive rather than proactive measures. While arrests were made these actions came after the crimes had already occurred. Preventing these incidents requires a more robust, multi-layered approach, combining advanced surveillance technologies, better crowd control, and more visible deterrents.
Second, the attempted break-in at the festival underscores the vulnerability of large events to unauthorized access. While the Secretary of Public Security, Victor Santos, acknowledged the difficulty of preventing such incidents, this points to a broader issue: the need for more sophisticated perimeter security, such as more robust access control and surveillance around the festival’s entry points.
Sources: G1 [1], [2]; CNN Brasil; Extra [1], [2].
