A survey carried out by the Crossfire Institute pointed out that in 2024, four children died and 21 were injured, in addition to 34 teenagers shot, with 16 dead and 18 injured. The state recorded a small reduction in the numbers, compared to last year. In 2023, 66 children and adolescents were shot, 31 of whom died. A year later, this number was reduced by 16%, to 55 children and adolescents shot, with 19 dead.
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According to the latest data released by the Institute of Public Security (ISP), from January to November 2024, 28,023 vehicle thefts were recorded across the state, which means that there was a 36% increase in this type of crime compared to 2023 (20,577). Only in the Rio de Janeiro city, there were 15,762 car thefts, 39% more than in 2023 (11,351).
According to a survey by Fogo Cruzado, 16 people were hit by gunfire when they mistakenly entered Rio’s favelas during the year 2024. According to the institute, this is the highest number of victims shot for confusing the route since 2016. Still, according to the survey, 50 people have been shot when they miss the path on the streets of Greater Rio in the last eight years, of which 10 have died. The study also points out that Complexo de Israel was the region with the highest number of people shot when entering communities, totaling 10 injured.
30/11/2024 – Two people were robbed in the early hours of Saturday (30/11) on Taylor Street, in the Central Region of Rio. In a security camera video, two robbers appear wearing delivery backpacks when approaching the couple, who handed over their belongings. The criminals also asked the victims to unlock their cell phones.
01/12/2024 – An off-duty military police officer reacted to an attempted robbery on Samoa Street, in Vila da Penha, North Zone, on Sunday morning (01/12). According to witnesses, the bandit tried to approach the PM with a fake gun. The criminal died on the spot.
01/12/2024 – Four women, between 28 and 60 years old, who acted as “flanelinhas” (car watchers) on Rua Vitor Frond, in Coelho Neto, North Zone, assaulted and robbed a 49-year-old woman who refused to pay for the irregular service. The victim sought a patrol of the Municipal Guard that arrested the suspects. During the approach, one of the “flanelinhas” disrespected the guards, made threats, and resisted arrest.
02/12/2024 – The Civil Police seized on Monday morning (02/12), a war weapon in an apartment in a condominium on Estrada dos Bandeirantes, in Jacarepaguá, West Zone. According to the corporation, the equipment found is an M72 LAW, a North American portable rocket launcher, designed to destroy armored vehicles. Investigations point out possible links with criminal groups.
02/12/2024 – An attempted robbery on Avenida Brasil, near Penha, North Zone, ended with two innocent people shot on Monday afternoon (02/12). According to the Military Police, a patrol saw the armed criminals and tried to approach them. The bandits shot at the team and hit the two victims before fleeing.
03/12/2024 – On Tuesday morning (03/12), the Civil Police carried out Operation Tourniquet in the Penha Complex, North Zone. The integrated action, with the support of police officers from Pará and Ceará, aims to carry out arrest and search and seizure warrants against drug traffickers from the Red Command (CV). The confrontation began before 6 am, six people were injured. Six people were arrested.
03/12/2024 – On Tuesday (03/12), a third sergeant of the Military Police was killed by bandits, on Rua Orica, one of the accesses to the community of Quitungo, in Brás de Pina, North Zone. The agent was in uniform, going to work when he came across a group of armed criminals, who shot him. After he died, his body was placed in a car by the criminals, who released the vehicle, out of control, on a slope.
05/12/2024 – A 12-year-old girl died after she was shot during a confrontation between rival bandits in Favela do Guarda, in Del Castilho, North Zone, on Thursday (05/12). The child was playing on a soccer field when she was injured. According to the police, the shots were the result of the invasion of drug traffickers from the Red Command (CV) in the favela dominated by a militia.
05/12/2024 – Two women were shot in an attack by criminals on Thursday night (05/12), on Estrada dos Palmares, in Santa Cruz, West Zone. According to the police, the victims were passing by when the car they were in was shot.
06/12/2024 – Residents of the region of Morro do Fubá and Campinho, North Zone, witnessed intense shootings, on Friday (06/12), in the middle of the day. On social networks, drug traffickers from the Red Command (CV) displayed a photo of a Third Pure Command (TCP) rival captured. Currently, the CV dominates the upper part of the community, but the lower part is still commanded by the TCP and militiamen.
06/12/2024 – A 30-year-old woman died from a stray bullet in Vila do João, in Complexo da Maré, on Monday afternoon (06/12). Her friend, 20, was shot in the leg. According to the Secretary of Civil Police, Felipe Curi, TCP traffickers may have fired at the population as a way to take the focus off the operation carried out in Complexo da Maré.
07/12/2024 – A 17-year-old teenager stole, on Saturday (07/12), a gold cord from a doctor near the Marapendi Canal, in Barra da Tijuca, West Zone. He was arrested by a team of the Maritime Guard of the Municipal Guard of Rio that was participating in a course at the advanced base of the Captaincy of Ports.
08/12/2024 – A criminal on the run from Pará was arrested, on Sunday (08/12), on São Conrado Beach, in the South Zone. Rangel Roberto dos Santos Mendes, known as 2R, 35, is appointed as the head of drug trafficking in the Telégrafo neighborhood, in Belém, and is involved in the death of a military police officer. He was considered a fugitive since 2021.
08/12/2024 – Two suspects were shot dead in a confrontation with a PM patrol, on Sunday night (08/12), in Catiri, in the West Zone. One of the criminals, known as Chinaide, was pointed out as one of those responsible for the war that was taking place in the region. A rifle and a pistol were seized in the action.
08/12/2024 – A 43-year-old man was shot during an attempted robbery on Sunday night (08/12), in front of the Paróquia Nossa Senhora da Cabeça, on Guatemala Street, in Penha, North Zone. The victim was arriving for a mass when he was approached by two criminals on a motorcycle. A security camera in the region recorded the moment they shot the victim and fled without taking anything.
09/12/2024 – On Monday (09/12), the Civil and Military Police carried out another stage of Operation Tourniquet, against a gang of cargo and vehicle thefts, in Complexo da Maré, North Zone. Since early morning, residents reported gunfire in several communities. Due to the confrontation, Rio’s main expressways were interdicted. Two people died, and three others were arrested.
09/12/2024 – An attempted robbery, on Monday morning (09/12), ended in a chase and accident on Avenida Geremário Dantas, in Tanque, West Zone. According to the police, a truck driver was approached by two criminals. The action was caught by a PM patrol that started a siege. In the chase, the truck driver lost control and collided with a pole. The vehicle caught fire.
09/12/2024 – An app driver was arrested on Monday (09/12) after sexually harassing a passenger. According to information from the Civil Police, the suspect was masturbating during the race when the victim noticed and requested the car to stop at the Clementino Fraga Filho University Hospital, in Cidade Universitária, North Zone. It was then that the criminal tried to pull the victim into the back seat, claiming that he was going to rape her. The passenger managed to escape.
09/12/2024 – A restaurant owner was murdered on Monday afternoon (09/12), on Raul Barroso Street, in the Engenho Novo neighborhood, North Zone. According to reports, he was killed by a woman who owed him money. The suspect was arrested.
10/12/2024 – A Navy doctor died after being shot in the head on Tuesday morning (10/12) inside the Marcílio Dias Naval Hospital, in Lins de Vasconcelos, North Zone. The military was participating in a ceremony in one of the unit’s buildings when she was hit. When the victim was hit, the Military Police were carrying out an operation in the communities of Complexo do Lins. According to the police, they were attacked by criminals when they arrived in the Gambá community.
10/12/2024 – Residents of Vila Isabel, North Zone, went through a night of terror, on Tuesday (10/12), during an intense confrontation in Morro dos Macacos, which left a man injured. Information indicates that drug traffickers from Morro São João, in Engenho Novo, also in the North Zone, linked to the CV, tried to invade Morro dos Macacos, controlled by TCP.
11/12/2024 – Felipe Ferreira Carolino, known as Zulu, appointed as the leader of the militia in the community of Rodo, in Santa Cruz, West Zone, was arrested, on Wednesday (11/12), by agents of the Police Station for the Repression of Organized Criminal Actions (Draco) in a hospital in Paciência, North Zone. Draco is investigating possible irregularities in the care of members of the organization in public health units.
11/12/2024 – A businessman and a 6-year-old boy were shot by two men on a motorcycle on Wednesday afternoon (11/12), on Rua Guaraúna, in Vicente de Carvalho, North Zone. Initial information indicates that the businessman was the target of the bandits and that the child was on his way to school when he was hit in the chest. The man died on the scene.
11/12/2024 – A 38-year-old man, suspected of raping an 18-year-old girl twice, was arrested on Wednesday morning (11/12), in Cavalcanti, North Zone. The crime happened after they met on a dating website.
11/12/2024 – A 16-year-old girl was shot dead on Wednesday (11/12) in Rio das Pedras, West Zone. The victim was murdered because she refused to have a relationship with the man, who fled after the crime.
11/12/2024 – A 62-year-old man was stabbed to death during a robbery, on Wednesday night (11/12), on Avenida Sargento de Milícias, in Pavuna, North Zone. The criminal was detained by people and then arrested by PMs of the 41st BPM (Irajá).
16/12/2024 – The eviction of the INSS building on Avenida Venezuela, downtown Rio, was carried out on Monday (16/12). The building, known as Zumbi dos Palmares, has housed about 150 families for more than 40 years. The removal comes after a court decision that highlighted the need to empty the site due to structural problems that put the safety of residents at risk. According to the City of Rio, all families in the occupation chose to receive the Temporary Housing Aid.
16/12/2024 – A 50-year-old man was shot dead on Monday (16/12), on Carobinha Street, in the Carobinha Community, in Cambo Grande, West Zone. He was inside the car when he was hit by the shots. This is the third victim, in the last two months, executed in the region. According to witnesses, the place is going through a territorial dispute between rival criminals.
16/12/2024 – A confrontation between military police and criminals ended with two suspects dead on Monday afternoon (16/12), in Favela da Primavera, in Cavalcanti, North Zone. During a patrol in a forest area in the region, agents of the 9th BPM (Rocha Miranda) were attacked. At the scene, a revolver, a grenade, and a stolen vehicle were seized.
17/12/2024 – About 400 military police officers from 11 battalions began an operation in Rocinha, in São Conrado, South Zone, in the early hours of Tuesday (17/12). The agents serve 34 warrants against traffickers from the Red Command who came from other states, mainly Ceará and Goiás, to seek refuge in the community. One suspect died, two were shot, and a drug dealer was arrested. Drugs and weapons were seized.
17/12/2024 – The Belford Roxo branch of Supervia has its circulation impacted Tuesday morning (17/12), due to another case of power cables theft. This time, 10 armed men were caught in the vicinity of the Pavuna station, North Zone, and took about 600 meters of wiring, informed the concessionaire.
19/12/2024 – Two suspects jumped from the Prosecutor José Alves de Morais Viaduct, in Vila Isabel, in the North Zone, to try to escape from a police siege, in the early hours of Thursday (19/12). According to information from police, four suspects, including a 15-year-old teenager, were in a stolen car and were robbing in the Méier region. The military police intervened and started a chase. The bandits had an accident and disembarked and started a shootout with the agents. The two who jumped from the overpass had serious injuries and were rescued. The other two were arrested. Two fake weapons were seized.
19/12/2024 – In an operation in Morro dos Macacos, in Vila Isabel, North Zone, on Thursday (19/12), the Military Police seized four rifles, five grenades, a pistol, 30 magazines, ammunition, and camouflage uniforms. During the action, four men were arrested. They are suspected of being part of the criminal faction Third Pure Command (TCP), which disputes control of community territories with the Red Command (CV).
19/12/2024 – A child was shot while playing on a soccer field on Thursday afternoon (19/12), in Morro São João, Engenho Novo, North Zone. A suspect was also hit. According to witness reports, military police would have entered the community already shooting. The corporation reported that teams from the Pacification Police Coordination (CPP) were patrolling when they were attacked by an armed group, starting a confrontation.
19/12/2024 – Agents of the Federal Highway Police (PRF) arrested, on the afternoon of Thursday (19/12), a man who was driving a stolen car on the Presidente Dutra Highway, near Jardim América, North Zone. After being approached, the driver said that the car was rented from an acquaintance and claimed to pay R$ 300 per week to use it. He did not have a license and worked with a fake account on an app. Then, the police discovered that the license plate was cloned and that the car had been stolen on 13 September, in São Gonçalo.
19/12/2024 – The Public Prosecutor’s Office of Rio de Janeiro (MPRJ) and the Federal Police served, on Thursday (19/12), an arrest warrant and three search and seizure warrants during an operation in Guaratiba, West Zone. According to the investigations, the accused took, through cyber fraud, about R$ 14.7 million from a company based in New York, which also operates in the Brazilian market.
20/12/2024 – Hundreds of motorcyclists left Complexo do Alemão, North Zone, in the early hours of Friday (20/12) for the last rolezinho (a meeting of motorcyclists) of the year. The event, which was scheduled via social media, angered residents of several neighborhoods in the region due to the intense noise made by the vehicles. The group was spotted circulating on streets in the South Zone and Barra da Tijuca, West Zone. According to the Military Police, the agents approached more than 150 motorcycles in different parts of the city.
20/12/2024 – Three men were arrested on Friday night (20/12) on suspicion of robbing residents of a building on Avenida Rainha Elizabeth, in Copacabana, South Zone. According to the Military Police, the suspects rented a property in the building and were stealing belongings, such as jewelry, watches, and money. No one was injured.
21/12/2024 – Police officers from the 6th Precinct (Cidade Nova) arrested, on Saturday (21/12), a man who assaulted his partner and kept her in a private prison in the community of Querosene, in the Complexo de São Carlos, in the Rio Comprido neighborhood, downtown Rio. According to the investigations, the prisoner is known for composing funk songs for drug traffickers in the region. The arrest happened after the victim managed to contact the police station to report the case.
22/12/2024 – Agents of the Narcotics Repression Police Station (DRE) arrested, on Sunday (22/12), a drug dealer who sold drugs inside his apartment in Copacabana, South Zone. On the property, agents seized narcotics, precision scales, and material for fractionation, storage, and packaging of drugs.
22/12/2024 – A 30-year-old woman was stabbed to death by her ex-partner, on Sunday night (22/12), in Vila Cruzeiro, in Complexo da Penha, North Zone. According to witness reports, the victim fought with her ex-boyfriend, 31, and ended up being injured with knife blows. The man was arrested.
22/12/2024 – A man was shot dead on Sunday afternoon (22/12) in Morro dos Macacos, in Vila Isabel, North Zone. According to the Military Police, agents of the Pacifying Police Unit of Morro dos Macacos (UPP/Macacos) were called to an occurrence of finding a corpse inside the community. On Saturday there were reports of shootings in the favela.
22/12/2024 – A 27-year-old motorcycle courier was shot dead during an attempted robbery in the early hours of Sunday (22/12), on Avenida Brasil, close to Fazenda Botafogo, North Zone. According to his family, he was working as a motorcycle taxi driver for an app when he was surprised by robbers. The bandits did not take anything.
23/12/2024 – Two doctors who were on their way to the Albert Schweitzer Hospital had their car stolen by four armed bandits on two motorcycles on Avenida Brasil, on Monday (23/12). The crime took place at Fazenda Botafogo, in the North Zone of Rio. The bandits fled with the vehicle.
23/12/2024 – A drug dealer considered one of the main Third Pure Command (TCP) car thieves, in addition to participating in the clashes against the CV in Morro dos Macacos, was arrested by the 22DP (Penha) on Monday (23/12) in front of Shopping Boulevard, on Teodoro da Silva Street, in Vila Isabel, North Zone. He was caught taking weapons and ammunition to São Carlos hill, in Estácio.
23/12/2024 – An action by the Civil Police, on Monday (23/12), seized thousands of objects that simulate gel gun toys, called by the police as simulacra of firearms, in Madureira, North Zone. According to the Corporation, nine people were taken to the police station to provide clarifications. The agents highlighted that the drills were intended for illegal commercialization.
23/12/2024 – On Monday (23/12), military police from the 41st BPM (Irajá) were called to prevent a robbery on Avenida Brasil, near Coelho Neto, North Zone. During the escape attempt, the vehicle fell into the channel of the Acari River. There was an armed confrontation, but no one was injured. The criminals managed to escape.
23/12/2024 – On Monday (23/12), federal police officers served an arrest and personal search warrant at Galeão International Airport, on Ilha do Governador, North Zone, against one of the members of a criminal organization specializing in robberies of bank branches. The prisoner worked as a private security guard at the airport and participated in an attack on the Caixa Econômica Federal branch in Praça do Cocotá, on Ilha do Governador, on 11 May 2023.
24/12/2024 – A 26-year-old woman was shot in the head during an approach by the Federal Highway Police (PRF) on the Washington Luís Highway (BR-040), in front of Carrefour, on Tuesday night (24/12). Her father, who was driving the vehicle, said that when he heard the vehicle’s siren, he turned on the turn signal to pull over, but the agents had already gotten out of the vehicle shooting. In a statement, the PRF said that the Internal Affairs Office is investigating the case, and the agents were removed from all activities.
25/12/2024 – A criminal armed with a rifle was shot on Wednesday morning (25/12), during a confrontation with military police in Caju, Port Zone. According to the PM, agents of the 4th BPM (São Cristóvão) were acting in the region when they located the man. Upon noticing the presence of the military, the bandit fired, causing a confrontation.
25/12/2024 – A car driver was robbed in Grajaú, North Zone, on Wednesday morning (25/12). The bandits committed the robbery in front of a Civil Police vehicle, which was parked on Rua Caruaru, and fled.
25/12/2024 – A music producer who was about to be executed by the “drug court” was rescued by civil police officers on Wednesday (25/12), in Caju, Port Zone. The case was being monitored by specialized police officers from the Civil Police, who used a helicopter and an armored vehicle in the operation. There was a shootout, one bandit was arrested, and the others fled. A rifle was seized.
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.
- Be careful when using the GPS as they may lead you to unsafe areas controlled by organized crime. Prefere Cooperative taxis instead of driving yourself.
