Intentional homicides in the state of Rio de Janeiro rose by 3.3% between January and September 2025 compared to the same period last year, totaling 2,215 victims versus 2,144 in 2024. Data released on Monday (20/10) by the Public Security Institute (ISP) also revealed a sharp increase in property crimes, particularly cell phone thefts, which surged 25.5% in the first nine months of the year. The 19,780 reported incidents represent one case approximately every 20 minutes, highlighting the growing challenge of street-level crime across the state.
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Crime Reduction
While violent crimes such as homicides and cell phone thefts increased, other categories showed improvement. Vehicle thefts dropped by 19.3%, declining from 21,243 cases in the first nine months of 2024 to 17,144 in the same period this year. Deaths resulting from confrontations with police also fell by 7%, reaching 519 victims, the lowest figure recorded for this period since 2015. Public security officials attribute these reductions to greater integration between state and municipal forces and the expanded use of surveillance technology in key metropolitan areas.
Other Indices
A breakdown of other crime indicators between January and September 2025, compared with the same months last year, reveals mixed results across categories. Fraud cases increased by 3.6%, reaching 113,859 incidents, the highest figure since the historical series began in 2003. Pedestrian robberies declined by 5.1%, totaling 21,892 cases, while bus robberies saw the most significant drop at 33.2%, with 3,125 reports. Cargo theft rose slightly by 1.4%, totaling 2,168 incidents. Cell phone thefts jumped 22.2%, reaching 34,456 cases, the highest in the ISP’s historical records—while bicycle thefts increased by 16.7%, with 287 reports. Disappearances also rose by 4.5%, with 4,693 people reported missing across the state.
Analysis:
The increase in intentional homicides and cell phone thefts in Rio de Janeiro between January and September 2025 underscores a worrying shift in the state’s crime dynamics. While the 3.3% rise in homicides may seem modest, it signals renewed tension among armed groups and reflects the persistent challenge of controlling lethal violence in urban areas. The 25.5% surge in cell phone thefts, however, reveals a different but equally concerning pattern: the proliferation of street-level crimes that directly affect citizens’ sense of security.
The drop in police-related deaths, the lowest since 2015, suggests progress in operational discipline and perhaps the positive impact of body camera programs. Nonetheless, these advances appear uneven, as the rise in property crimes indicates that crime displacement, rather than reduction, may be taking place. Criminal activity seems to be shifting toward lower-risk, high-reward offenses such as theft and fraud, areas where detection and prosecution rates remain weak.
The record number of fraud and cell phone theft cases points to the growing convergence between physical and digital criminal economies. Stolen phones often serve as gateways to financial scams, identity theft, and unauthorized access to digital accounts, amplifying the social and economic damage beyond the initial theft.
