24/07/2022 – Criminals stole the four wheels of a vehicle in the Shopping Metropolitano parking lot, in Barra da Tijuca, West Zone. According to the owner, he left the car in the parking lot around 18h40 and when he returned around 21h, he found the car without the wheels.
26/07/2022 – The Civil Police arrested a man who used a dog to rob and attack people in the South Zone of Rio. At least five people were victims of the crime, including a civil police officer and a military police officer. According to the investigations, Allan Kardec Areas Santos, 42, is homeless and was always on the sidewalks of several neighborhoods, mainly Jardim Botânico, Ipanema and Leblon. According to the police, if the victim of the robbery tried to react, he would order Macarena, the dog, to attack.
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Our analysis:
Attacks with dogs like the one reported above are not that common, but it’s still important to know how to act.
- The first step is not to panic. If you get agitated and run or yell, it can make the animal more confident in his attack, or worse, you can appear threatening to it
- Also, avoid looking the dog directly in the eye. This gesture makes him feel challenged
- Don’t try to run. This can trigger the animal’s predatory instinct to hunt and catch, plus you won’t be able to outrun most dogs
- Distract the dog with another object. If he continues to threaten you, offer him something he can chew on, like your backpack, a bottle of water, or something else
- Look at the dog and order “go away”. If he continues to behave aggressively and ignoring or trying to calm it down is no longer working, turn to him and order him to back off. Use a strong, deep, and confident commanding voice
- Fight a dog that attacks. If the dog starts biting you, you will need to defend yourself
- To minimize the risks, try to protect your head, neck, and belly regions. Try squatting, hugging your knees and putting your head between your shoulders and knees and wait for the dog to calm down
- Leave the place slowly and carefully. After the dog loses interest in you, move away from the attack site slowly, leaving without sudden movements. Staying calm and still can be a test of your nerves in such a stressful situation, but it’s the best thing to do
- If you have been bitten by an unknown animal, the first thing to do is wash it well with soap and water. Then, look for a health centre for a doctor to evaluate the bite. Also look for a SUS health post immediately to start the rabies vaccination protocol
26/07/2022 – Civil Police arrested two men suspected of breaking into homes and kidnappings in the South Zone. For this, they pretended to be painters and invaded houses. Once inside the houses, they threatened the victims with a weapon and immobilized them with seals and tape. The freedom of the residents was only obtained through a payment via pix. They were arrested in Morro do Fallet/Fogueteiro,downtown Rio.
30/07/2022 – Civil police officers arrested seven men in the act of stealing a light transformer valued at around R$20,000 on Salvador Allende Avenue, Barra da Tijuca, West Zone. At the time, the authors wore counterfeit uniforms and equipment from Light, the city’s power provider. Among the tools used were cones and a truck.
03/08/2022 – Five people were arrested in another phase of Operation Resina, against members of a criminal organization specializing in theft of truck loads. According to the police, the gang planned to steal tracks from the Rio subway and divert to the São Paulo subway. Among those arrested is former police officer Edson dos Santos Filho, father of former municipal secretary of Science and Technology of Rio and councilor Willian Coelho. Edson had a search and seizure warrant but ended up being arrested for having an unregistered weapon. William was also the target of searches.
03/08/2022 – Criminals blew up a bank branch in Vila Isabel, North Zone. The military police arrived during the action of the criminals and there was a shooting. Federal Police were called and launched an investigation to identify the criminals.
Our analysis:
Currently, we try to solve everything via the internet, but sometimes we have to go in person to bank agencies. They tend to attract the attention of criminals due the large amounts of money store inside ATMs. If your bank branch is robbed, it is important to know how to act:
- Do not react. Keep calm, as difficult as it may be. Some deaths occurred in these cases, because the victim made sudden gestures that were translated by the criminal as a reaction against him. Remember that the robber is after the money and usually only shoots when scared or harassed
- Stay still. If the robbers order you to lie on the floor, do so
- Avoid going to the bank during peak hours. Robberies usually take place between 10h and noon. The robber is looking for movement, as he interprets it as more money at the branch
- Choose bank branches that have adopted revolving doors and cam recorders, these mechanisms reduce the probability of these branches being the target of the action of robbers
04/08/2022 – Former city councilor Jerônimo Guimarães Filho, known as Jerominho, died after being shot on Rodovia Guandu do Sapé, in Campo Grande, West Zone. The information was confirmed by the family’s lawyer and the Military Police. Jerominho is named as one of the founders and leaders of a militia that operates in Rio de Janeiro’s West Zone.
04/08/2022 – A 61-year-old doctor died during an attempted robbery in Taquara, West Zone. The victim was in a car with his wife and two grandchildren when he had the vehicle closed by another car, where the criminals were. According to investigations, four armed men announced the robbery. According to witnesses, the doctor was armed but did not shoot. However, the criminals shot him nine times, and fled without taking anything.
07/08/2022 – A tourist from Minas Gerais state was injured after a robbery in Copacabana, South Zone. The tourist was walking with her father on the Copacabana sidewalk, when a 17-year-old teenager approached the victim, stole her cell phone and used a shard of glass to cut her neck and ear. The criminal, who was apprehended at the time, has nine other crimes reported on his name.
09/08/2022 – A 20-year-old man was found dead in Leblon Beach. The young man had been missing since Saturday (06/08), when he went to a party in Vidigal Community, in the South Zone. According to his family, he went with friends to the party and ran away after a fight.
12/08/2022 – A man was arrested by the Federal Police in Santa Catarina on suspicion of carrying out a scam in Leblon, South Zone of Rio de Janeiro. The man is accused of fraud and has an extensive list of criminal records: 74 – several of the records were for the same crime. He owned a currency exchange company located on Ataulfo de Paiva Avenue. One of the customers had deposited the amount of R$50,000 in order to buy US$14,000 but did not receive the money.
13/08/2022 – A woman suffered an attempted rape in the Flamengo neighborhood, Zona Sul. The crime happened at night, on Marquês de Abrantes Street near the subway station in the region. The victim, who was walking a dog when she was approached, was saved by a store security guard who heard her screams for help. The criminal was arrested by a team from the Aterro Presente program on Tuesday (16/08).
Our analysis:
In Rio de Janeiro, women are seen as easier targets for any type of crime. In addition to suffering from harassment or attempted rapes. It is important to always be vigilant.
- When walking alone on the street at night, go against the flow of cars. That way, you can better focus on vehicles ahead. If you walk downstream, a car may come from behind, open the door and take you more easily.
- On the street, do not respond to requests to locate places or to light a cigarette, especially at night. This is a common excuse to approach and surrender the person. Don’t stop, just say you don’t know or don’t have it and leave as soon as possible.
- When you feel persecuted or in a vulnerable situation, approach the first person you find, tell them what happened and ask for help. Or enter the first establishment open, call someone to pick you up, or leave at the best time. Avoid deserted streets and going out late at night.
- Always be aware of the people around you. And if you see a suspicious man heading your way, look to see if he looks to the side or behind. Those who have bad intentions don’t want to have witnesses. Don’t hesitate, get out of the way, go back to where you came from or run.
17/08/2022 – Two employees of the Federal Revenue were arrested in Operation Artemis. According to the investigations, they had access to repression operations in the Port of Itaguaí and shared this privileged information with militiamen, drug dealers and smugglers. Investigators suspect that they received R$200,000 to act in favor of these gangs. Itaguaí is a city in the metropolitan region of Rio, bordering the west zone of the city, an area dominated by the militia.
18/08/2022 – A criminal was shot after a chase by military police, in the early hours, on the Linha Vermelha, close to Caju neighborhood, North Zone. Due to the action, the Marcello Alencar Tunnel, towards Aterro do Flamengo, was closed for about an hour. According to the Military Police, police officers from the Special Roads Police Battalion (BPVE) surrounded the Linha Vermelha and there was a shooting with criminals.
20/08/2022 – A man was stabbed in the abdomen after arguing with a bus driver on Estrada do Itanhangá, Itanhangá neighborhood West Zone. According to the first information, the turmoil would have started after the bus driver hit the back of the victim’s car. Then he would have entered the vehicle angered to speak with the driver when he was stabbed at least three times. He was rescued and taken to the hospital where he is hospitalized.
23/08/2022 – Police officers from the Police Station for Repression of Organized Criminal Actions (DRACO-IE) and the Coordination of Special Resources (CORE) seized an armored car in Nova Iguaçu that, according to investigations, was used by Danilo Dias Lima’s militia, also known as Tandera. The vehicle was in a shed located on R. Brasília, in the Cabuçu neighborhood. According to the police, the armored car was used by militiamen to intimidate opponents and protect criminals during shootings with rivals.
24/08/2022 – Military police arrested a man who was applying the Federal Revenue scam on victims in the South Zone of Rio. The suspect called, posing as a Federal Revenue employee, and claimed he had a problem with the person’s income tax, a debt. With that, he was able to convince the person to hand over the credit card to pay off that debt.
25/08/2022 – Federal Police (PF) and the Public Ministry of Rio de Janeiro (MPRJ) began Operation Dynasty to arrest militia member Luís Antônio da Silva Braga, known as Zinho, and 22 of his associates. The MPRJ claims that the gang, the largest active in Rio, “fosters widespread slaughter” against rivals. The group is suspected of the death of another militiaman Jerônimo Guimarães, known as Jerominho.
TRENDS & ADVICE
- During summer months, mass robberies and thefts in touristic spots become the most prevalent security risks in Rio de Janeiro, specially in the city’s South Zone.
- Crowded beaches and its vicinities should be avoided.
- Avoid any display of wealth (jewelry, cell phones), but always carry a small amount of money (R$50) to hand over to muggers.
- In case of robbery: cooperate, do not try to run after the assailant as he or she might not be alone or turn violent.
- In the case of being in the immediate vicinity of a shootout:
- Lay on the ground and seek cover.
- When it is safe to do so, find the nearest building, stay away from windows, do not move unless you are sure that the gunfire has ended.
- Avoid walking alone in poorly lit areas or beaches after nightfall. Avoid walking through tunnels.
- Avoid the vicinity of crime-prone areas such as ‘communities’ (so-called ‘favelas’) and lower-income neighborhoods.
- Be always cautious, even in the areas considered safe such as Downtown, Botafogo, Copacabana and Ipanema. Exercise caution in the Centro during the day and avoid the area after nightfall and on Sundays.
