In 2025, the State of Rio de Janeiro registered 71,762 new cases of domestic violence between January and November, a figure expected to rise during the year-end festivities. To combat this trend, the Rio Court of Justice (TJRJ) has reinforced its support structures during the judicial break (December 20 – January 6), maintaining emergency services such as the “Maria da Penha Virtual” app for protection orders and the Cejuvida sheltering center. Authorities emphasize that victims can seek immediate help through the 190 (Police) or 180 (Women’s Hotline) numbers, which remain operational 24/7 to address urgent risks.
01/12/2025 – A man was arrested after a chase on Monday (1st), in the Tijuca neighborhood, North Zone, for robbing an 87-year-old Spanish tourist. The suspect, who was posing as a food delivery person, stole the woman’s gold necklace on Rua Conde do Bonfim. Municipal Guards pursued him, capturing him near Praça Saens Peña. The man confessed the crime but admitted he got rid of the necklace during the chase, so the item was not recovered.
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01/12/2025 – A gold necklace robbery was registered on Avenida Nossa Senhora de Copacabana, South Zone, on Monday afternoon (1st). A man approached an elderly person and snatched the necklace from their neck. While attempting to flee, the criminal was pursued, restrained, and assaulted by residents who witnessed the mugging. The suspect was arrested by police, and the elderly person was shaken, though without serious injuries.
01/12/2025 – A shootout during an attempted robbery left one suspect dead and a retired military police officer wounded on Monday night (1st). The incident occurred at the corner of Rua São Francisco Xavier with Avenida Professor Manoel de Abreu, in Maracanã, North Zone (in front of UERJ). The officer exchanged fire with two assailants and was wounded, while one suspect was killed at the scene and the other fled on a motorcycle. Police seized a pistol and a signal jammer from the deceased.
02/12/2025 – A criminal, wanted for the homicide of Civil Police CORE agent João Marquini, died in a confrontation with CORE agents on Ladeira dos Tabajaras, South Zone, this Tuesday (2). The suspect was shot after attacking the police officers. He was investigated as the author of the shots that killed the officer in Vargem Grande on March 30.
02/12/2025 – An attempted motorcycle robbery escalated into a shootout on Tuesday afternoon (2), on Rua Cândido Benício, Praça Seca, Southwest Zone. A driver (an elderly man) intentionally hit the thief with his car after seeing the bandit pull a weapon. Despite being hit and dragged, the criminal managed to stand up and fired at least 11 shots at the driver’s vehicle before fleeing. The driver and his passenger were unharmed.
02/12/2025 – A confrontation between rival drug factions (CV and TCP) in Conjunto do Amarelinho, Acari, North Zone, on Tuesday afternoon (2), left two men dead. The area, dominated by the TCP, was allegedly invaded by the Comando Vermelho. The violence directly impacted the community: a bullet hit the Clínica da Família Edma Valadão, forcing the health unit (which sheltered 50 people) to close completely.
02/12/2025 – The Civil Police seized 700 kg of drugs and two suspicious vehicles in a warehouse in Ramos, North Zone of Rio, on Tuesday morning (2). The police operation was significantly aided by the City Hall’s Civitas intelligence system, which monitored the movement of the suspicious vehicles. The system issued 60 alerts, helping agents identify circulation patterns and ultimately locate the drug warehouse.
03/12/2025 – The Civil Police (DRFA-Cap) launched an operation on Wednesday morning (3), in the Gogó de Guadalupe area of Complexo do Chapadão, in Guadalupe, North Zone. The action targeted a Comando Vermelho (CV) “bunker” used for storing stolen vehicles. Four suspects were arrested, and police seized drugs, stolen cars, and an armored Toyota equipped with firing ports. The vehicle was used by traffickers for attacks against rivals.
03/12/2025 – The Federal Police (PF) arrested the President of the Rio de Janeiro Legislative Assembly (Alerj) on Wednesday morning (3). The operation targets public officials suspected of leaking confidential information related to Operação Zargun, which arrested a state deputy (TH Joias) in September for links to the Comando Vermelho (CV). The leak, which obstructed the earlier investigation, was uncovered after analyzing seized material. The action included a preventive arrest warrant issued by the Supreme Federal Court (STF) and searches of the deputy’s Alerj cabinet.
04/12/2025 – The Civil Police launched “Operation Craf Falso” on Thursday morning (4), across three regions of Rio de Janeiro. The operation targets a criminal group that forged gun registration certificates (Crafs, CRs) and military IDs to illegally purchase firearms from dealers and CACs. As of the initial report, one suspect was arrested, and two weapons were seized. The action aims to gather evidence to dismantle the forgery scheme.
05/12/2025 – A military police officer (51) was arrested at his workplace in Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro, on Friday (5), by the DHBF (a Civil Police Homicide Division). He is suspected of the murder of his 21-year-old grandnephew, which occurred on August 28 at a bar in Itaguaí. The motive was a personal dispute after the victim discovered the officer was trying to pursue his ex-girlfriend. The officer, who executed the victim with five shots, was detained and faces different charges, including murder.
04/12/2025 – A pedagogical coordinator was arrested on Monday (8), at a daycare in Méier, as she was sought for torture committed in 2024 at another daycare in Copacabana. The alleged abuse, targeting children aged 4 to 6, included forced feeding, hair pulling, and isolation in a dark and locked room nicknamed the “Aunt Dani Room”, which was feared by the children. Five other employees, including the director, were also indicted for omissive torture.
06/12/2025 – A group of four criminals invaded a residential building in Rua Eurico Cruz, Jardim Botânico, South Zone, on Saturday evening (6), after threatening the doorman to access two apartments. Alerted by a resident, the Military Police immediately established a security perimeter around the building. Agents quickly arrested the four criminals, recovering all stolen items (jewelry, electronics) and an illegal pistol. One of the individuals was wanted for homicide.
07/12/2025 – A total of 14 adolescents escaped the Centro Socioeducacional Dom Bosco (Degase unit) on Ilha do Governador, North Zone, on Sunday (7), following a rebellion. The Military Police established checkpoints to locate the escapees. Police reported that 10 of the escaped youths belong to the Comando Vermelho (CV) faction, and four belong to the Terceiro Comando Puro (TCP) faction.
08/12/2025 – The Federal Police launched Operation Tredo on Monday (8), arresting two Military Police officers in Rio de Janeiro for leaking confidential information to the Comando Vermelho (CV) leadership. One arrested officer, a 2nd Sergeant in BOPE, was responsible for scheduling teams and attempted to flee before being captured on Avenida Brasil. The PF is fulfilling 11 arrest warrants against the criminal network, which faces charges including corruption and violation of the functional secrecy.
08/12/2025 – The Civil Police launched “Operation Zero Grau” on Monday (8), targeting a network of influencers in Rio de Janeiro who promoted illegal street racing and dangerous stunts online. The group, which generated millions of reais, was found to encourage crimes like vehicle tampering and illegal gambling. Four suspects were arrested in the act, and luxury vehicles were seized. The influencers face charges including endangerment of transport safety and criminal association.
08/12/2025 – A 41-year-old aviation businessman died on Monday morning (8), after being shot multiple times on Avenida das Américas, near the Barra Shopping, in Barra da Tijuca, Southwest Zone. The attack, carried out by two men on a motorcycle, also injured his son. Investigators noted that nothing was stolen, suggesting a motive other than robbery. The victim, who had six prior criminal records, died at the hospital.
08/12/2025 – An unidentified man was killed in a confrontation with the Military Police in Recreio dos Bandeirantes, near Posto 13, West Zone, in the early morning of Monday (8). The man and a second suspect were carrying out a series of motorcycle robberies in Barra da Tijuca. Following a pursuit, a shootout occurred, resulting in the death of one suspect and the injury and arrest of the second.
08/12/2025 – Central Rio experienced a wave of insecurity on Monday afternoon (8), as at least four international tourists were targeted in Cinelândia. Two separate incidents occurred within 30 minutes, including the snatching of a Guatemalan tourist’s phone and the theft of the belongings of a Japanese couple. These events exemplify the sharp 36% increase in cell phone thefts recorded in Central Rio between 2024 and 2025.
08/12/2025 – A 38-year-old pastor was killed in Vila Aliança, Bangu, West Zone, on Monday (8), in an attack allegedly carried out by TCP drug traffickers. The reason was a woman’s complaint that the pastor had sexually abused her daughter, leading the traffickers to beat him, resulting in fatal injuries. The pastor was taken to the UPA but did not survive.
08/12/2025 – A couple was shot dead, and a child was critically injured in a car attack on the BR-101 highway in Campo Grande, West Zone, late Monday night (8). The victims died at the scene after their car was targeted by gunfire near the Viaduto Oscar Brito. The child, approximately 2 years old, was hospitalized in the gravest condition.
09/12/2025 – Gizelle Lucena Tavares Machado, 25, died on Tuesday (9), after spending five months hospitalized due to a gunshot wound sustained during an attempted robbery at a bar in Bangu, West Zone, on July 22. At the time of the shooting, she was at the bar with her husband and their son, who was just four months old. The Civil Police previously identified the two suspects involved in the assault and robbery and sent the indictment to the Public Ministry, requesting the arrest of the main perpetrator.
09/12/2025 – On Tuesday (9), a trio stole 277 products—including medicines, supplements, and cosmetics—valued at R$ 8,000, from a pharmacy on Rua Olegário Maciel, in Barra da Tijuca, Southwest Zone. The theft involved two women who carried the items away in metallic-lined bags, used to foil alarms, and fled on a motorcycle driven by a male accomplice. Following a report by store employees, Agents from the Segurança Presente program quickly located and arrested the three suspects in front of the Fire Department headquarters on Avenida do Pepê.
09/12/2025 – Actor Jonathan Azevedo was the victim of a robbery on Tuesday (December 9, 2025), at the entrance of the shopping mall Via Parque, in Barra da Tijuca, Southwest Zone. Azevedo, who claimed “never to have been robbed” before, was using his cell phone with his car window open when a man emerged from a nearby wooded area and took the device. The actor even attempted to pursue the criminal into the bushes, but gave up upon realizing the risk.
10/12/2025 – A shootout involving police and criminals in Irajá, North Zone, on Wednesday morning (10) resulted in one suspect dead, four injured, and two residents hit by stray bullets. The confrontation foiled an attempted invasion by the Comando Vermelho (CV) drug faction, who were moving from Morro do Juramentinho to attack the rival TCP-controlled community of Para-Pedro. Five suspects were shot, one fatally. Police seized two rifles and two pistols. The two injured residents (a mother and son) were treated for leg wounds and discharged from the hospital.
10/12/2025 – A group of youths, including two minors, committed robberies and cell phone thefts in the vicinity of Parque Lage, Jardim Botânico, South Zone, on Wednesday evening (10). After being alerted by a theft victim, Civil Police (15th Precinct) and Military Police agents began searching, catching and detaining the three suspects aboard a bus, in the Humaitá neighborhood.
10/12/2025 – A shootout between rival traffickers (TCP and CV) in Morro do Chaves, Complexo da Pedreira, in the Barros Filho neighborhood, North Zone, terrorized residents on Wednesday night (10). The confrontation, part of the war for territorial control of the region, led to the suspension of services on the Belford Roxo train line for about 20 minutes, affecting workers returning home. Despite the incident, the Military Police did not record any injuries but reinforced policing around Complexo da Pedreira.
11/12/2025 – A man accused of extorting tourists in the South Zone of Rio de Janeiro was arrested by the Specialized Tourist Support Police Department (Deat) this Thursday (11), in Cosme Velho, South Zone. The latest victims were a South Korean and an Indian, approached in September. The criminal coerced them into paying R$300 for parking and R$1,700 for supposed train tickets, even threatening them, taking their car key, and forcing them to make transactions at an ATM. The accused, who had an outstanding warrant for aggravated extortion and an extensive criminal record, was detained near the Paineiras Visitors Center while preparing to approach new foreign tourists.
12/12/2025 – The Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro launched “Operation Final Trump” this Friday (December 12, 2025), aiming to arrest 36 suspects belonging to the operational, logistical, and financial core of the Comando Vermelho (CV) faction operating in the Az de Ouro community in Anchieta, North Zone. The operation primarily targeted the “Tropa do Cesar”, the armed wing of the faction, and sought to execute 108 judicial warrants (36 arrest warrants and 72 search and seizure warrants) in Anchieta and Baixada Fluminense. Investigations revealed that the gang moved R$1 million in just 15 days. So far, 12 people have been arrested.
12/12/2025 – Two men from São Paulo were arrested by the Civil Police this Friday (12), in Ipanema, South Zone, accused of operating the “Golpe da Maquininha” (credit card terminal scam) against the elderly at open-air markets. They used fraudulent card machines while pretending to sell fruit to defraud victims, managing to steal R$ 7,700 from one elderly woman. The two men were tracked down and arrested after a brief pursuit.
12/12/2025 – Armed men stopped traffic on Rua Leopoldo Bulhões, between Bonsucesso and Benfica, North Zone, this Friday (12), by randomly shooting and pointing weapons at motorists, causing panic. These individuals were reportedly fleeing a Civil Police operation against cargo theft conducted in the Varginha community, in the Manguinhos Complex. During this operation, police freed a hostage driver and recovered a meat cargo valued at around R$1 million. Two fugitives from justice were arrested.
12/12/2025 – On Friday (12), in Complexo da Maré, North Zone, a woman gained a mother’s trust under the pretext of donating clothes before attacking her with fire and kidnapping her 8-month-old baby and 6-year-old autistic daughter. After leaving the mother hospitalized with severe burns, the perpetrator abandoned the older child on a highway in Guapimirim and fled across state lines with the infant. On Tuesday (16), police tracking her movements through intelligence work located the suspect in Cataguases, Minas Gerais. The baby was safely rescued, and the woman was arrested in the act, facing charges of kidnapping, attempted murder, and child abandonment.
13/12/2025 – A 71-year-old businessman was fatally shot on the night of Saturday (13), in the Grajaú neighborhood, North Zone. The victim was driving home with his wife when they were ambushed by criminals on two motorcycles in an attempted robbery. He was shot while trying to escape, and his wife sustained a broken arm when their car crashed into a pole.
14/12/2025 – Drug traffickers attempted to take advantage of the Vasco vs. Fluminense football match at the Maracanã this Sunday (14), to discreetly transport drugs. Civil and Military Police arrested a man in flagrante delicto in Olaria, North Zone, who was carrying 200 tablets of marijuana from Complexo da Penha to Complexo da Maré. Authorities had been informed of this plan to use the flow of people and traffic disruption from the game to evade surveillance. The suspect was arrested for drug trafficking during an action carried out as part of Operation Contenção.
15/12/2025 – A 41-year-old Argentine tourist was the victim of a payment terminal scam on Ipanema beach, on Monday afternoon (15). While trying to buy cigarettes for R$55, he was distracted by a second salesman during contactless payment, which allowed the scammers to charge him around $3,000 (R$19,000).
16/12/2025 – The Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro launched a new phase of the Operation Contenção this Tuesday (16), targeting the financial arm of the Comando Vermelho (CV) and a large-scale money laundering scheme led by Edgar Alves de Andrade, known as “Doca”, and Carlos da Costa Neves, known as “Gardenal”. The operation aims to block R$600 million, the value of suspicious financial transactions over two years, and includes search warrants and asset seizure across Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, and Mato Grosso. The investigation highlights the CV’s use of “financial mules” and companies to conceal the illegal origin of funds.
16/12/2025 – On Tuesday (16), the Federal Police (PF) arrested Judge Macário Judice Neto, rapporteur of the TH Jóias case at the Federal Regional Court, as part of Operation “Unha e Carne 2”. This operation aims to investigate public officials suspected of leaking confidential information regarding police operations on behalf of the Comando Vermelho (CV). The former president of the Rio Legislative Assembly (Alerj), Rodrigo Bacellar, who was already arrested on December 3 for the same reasons, is also targeted by new searches.
16/12/2025 – Thieves broke into the Gerson Bergher Family Clinic, in Campinho, North Zone, during the early hours of Tuesday (16), stealing items ranging from a television to iron doors. Security footage captured a man carrying three heavy doors on his back to a waiting accomplice, despite the clinic being located on the same block as a police station. The suspects also took fire hoses, a water pump, and faucets, forcing the health center to suspend operations until the following afternoon.
16/12/2025 – The Federal Police launched an operation on Tuesday (16), targeting a criminal organization that profited 50 million reais from illegal betting platforms for over two years. Lawyer and influencer Dayanne Bezerra is among those investigated for allegedly participating in a scheme involving digital fraud, money laundering, and tax evasion. Authorities executed search warrants across multiple Brazilian states, seizing luxury cars, including Porsches, from a mansion in Rio de Janeiro belonging to a key suspect linked to Chinese collaborators who manipulated betting outcomes. Four suspects face restrictive measures, including the use of electronic ankle monitors and prohibitions on participating in investment platforms.
16/12/2025 – Police arrested a suspect in Madureira, North Zone, on Tuesday (16), as part of an ongoing investigation into the rape of a vulnerable minor. The man, who confessed to the crimes, was identified through video recordings showing abuses committed against a boy who was 12 years old at the time. Investigations revealed that the child’s adoptive father organized and filmed these sexual assaults between September 2023 and July 2024, inviting multiple accomplices to his home. The father and two other individuals had already been detained for their involvement in this sexual exploitation network.
16/12/2025 – Police arrested a suspect on Tuesday (16), for the violent robbery of an 82-year-old woman in the Bonsucesso neighborhood, North Zone. Security footage captured the man threatening the victim with a firearm, throwing her to the ground, and dragging her across the pavement to steal her purse as she left a bank. Investigations revealed the individual belongs to a criminal gang specialized in “saidinha de banco” robberies, which target vulnerable elderly citizens carrying cash. The suspect was identified through the recordings and is now facing charges for the assault and robbery.
16/12/2025 – On Tuesday (16), police arrested a 43-year-old man for stalking actress Isis Valverde for over 20 years. He was apprehended at her residence in Joá, Southwest Zone, following an escalation in his obsessive behavior this year. Investigations revealed that he traveled from Rio Grande do Sul specifically to monitor the actress and had even hired a private detective to obtain her personal data. Upon his arrest by the Anti-Kidnapping Police (DAS), the suspect confessed to the actions, claiming he was “in love”, and was subsequently charged with stalking.
16/12/2025 – On Tuesday (16), military police arrested a high-ranking suspect linked to the Comando Vermelho (CV) on São Conrado beach, South Zone. The individual is allegedly a key figure in the territorial disputes between the Vila Kennedy and Carobinha communities in the city’s West Zone. After being monitored by police intelligence, he was surrounded by the Tactical Motorcycle Battalion while on the sand. The suspect, who had an outstanding warrant for criminal association and drug trafficking, is considered responsible for coordinating armed invasions in areas disputed by drug traffickers and militias.
16/12/2025 – On Tuesday (16), three passengers were robbed at gunpoint inside a metro car in Rio de Janeiro’s South Zone. The robbery occurred near the Largo do Machado station on a train heading toward Jardim Oceânico. According to Metrô Rio, the suspect fled the system immediately after the incident.
16/12/2025 – On Tuesday (16), 22-year-old Júlia Benette Rodrigues was stabbed to death in front of her daughters in Complexo do Chapadão, in Anchieta, North Rio. Her ex-boyfriend, José Victor Leite Gustavo, was arrested in flagrante for femicide; he is currently hospitalized after being attacked by residents. One of the children was also reportedly injured during the assault.
17/12/2025 – The Civil Police launched Operation Containment in Rio de Janeiro’s Complexo da Maré on Wednesday (17), targeting a Comando Vermelho delivery network that sold drugs and weapons via WhatsApp. Two individuals were arrested, and vehicles and narcotics were seized as officers executed 30 search warrants across the capital and Maricá. The investigation, led by the specialized weapons and explosives unit, identified criminal hubs responsible for arms logistics and drug distribution. Due to the intense police activity and the use of armored vehicles in the Nova Holanda community, 24 schools and a health unit were forced to suspend operations.
17/12/2025 – On Wednesday (17), two men were arrested in Santa Cruz, West Zone, after Civil Police recovered more than 30 stolen cell phones in a commercial center. The suspects were caught during “Operation Rastreio”, which aims to combat the theft, robbery, and illegal sale of mobile devices, and they now face charges of aggravated receiving of stolen goods. One of the individuals already had a criminal record for the same offense and was notorious in the area for selling illicit electronics.
17/12/2025 – On Tuesday (17), an attempted robbery led to a shootout at Praça Barão de Drumond in Vila Isabel, North Rio. Patrolling police officers intercepted two individuals targeting a motorcyclist, triggering a confrontation. One 19-year-old suspect was seriously wounded and hospitalized, and a pistol was seized at the scene. The victim was unharmed.
17/12/2025 – On Wednesday (17), an app driver was stabbed by two men on Voluntários da Pátria Street in Botafogo, South Zone. The attackers, who worked nearby, hid in a building where the doorman was also detained for attempting to mislead police during their arrest. The motive for the attack and the victim’s medical condition have not yet been released.
18/12/2025 – On Thursday (18), a Rio police officer was suspended for acting as an informant for the drug lord “Lacoste”. The officer allegedly traded investigation secrets, drugs, and weapons for profit, helping the TCP faction avoid raids in Madureira. While Internal Affairs dismantles this corruption network, Lacoste remains a wanted fugitive with seven active warrants.
18/12/2025 – On Thursday (18), a heavy shootout broke out in the Carobinha community in Campo Grande, West Rio, as drug traffickers attempted to invade the militia-controlled area. Residents recorded intense gunfire throughout the night, primarily in the surrounding woods. The Military Police have since reinforced patrols in the region to stabilize the situation.
18/12/2025 – On Thursday (18), police detained a man for firing airsoft weapons at neighboring apartments in the Tijuca neighborhood, North Zone. Officers seized a rifle and two airsoft pistols loaded with steel bearings used in the attacks on Rego Lopes and Valparaíso streets. The suspect confessed to the shooting at the 19th DP, claiming he was reacting to provocations from residents.
19/12/2025 – On Friday (19), beachgoers found a grenade on Macumba Beach in Recreio dos Bandeirantes, Southwest Zone. The CORE Bomb Squad was called to the scene and successfully deactivated the explosive device. Local police from the 42nd DP are now investigating how the weapon ended up on the sand. This discovery adds to the 2025 security statistics for the region, which has seen several interventions involving the recovery of abandoned or illegal explosives in public areas.
19/12/2025 – On Friday (19), a 39-year-old man was arrested in Santa Cruz, West Zone, for the murder and concealment of his wife, Karine Braz de Souza. The suspect confessed to stabbing the victim in August and hiding her dismembered body under concrete inside a rented shop. To cover his tracks, he had filed a false missing person report while attempting to clean the crime scene. This arrest concludes a months-long investigation and adds to the 2025 regional figures for femicide and violent crime.
19/12/2025 – On Friday (19), a 44-year-old man was arrested in Inhaúma, Rio de Janeiro, for transporting 4,300 pins of cocaine and 620 units of marijuana from Complexo do Alemão to Volta Redonda. Police intercepted the vehicle after it left the community at high speed, discovering the drugs—branded by the Red Command—hidden in the trunk. The driver confessed he was to be paid R$ 1,500 for the delivery, and his phone revealed coordination with traffickers dating back to November. This seizure adds to the state’s 2025 drug enforcement totals, which have seen a rise in intercity trafficking interceptions.
19/12/2025 – On Friday (19), a retired military police officer was arrested for assaulting his ex-wife and her friend at a bar in Recreio dos Bandeirantes, Southwest Zone. The victim lost consciousness after being punched in the head, and her companion was struck with a pistol whip before the suspect fled the scene. Investigations revealed a history of domestic violence threats against his previous partner, leading to a preventive arrest warrant for crimes including stalking, injury, and coercion.
20/12/2025 – On Saturday (20), residents of Grajaú, North Zone, held a protest against rising violence following a shootout involving an off-duty officer and the recent murder of a 71-year-old merchant. Protesters marched from Praça Verdun to demand better patrols and intelligence technology to combat a reported 21% increase in street robberies this year. Official ISP data for 2025 also shows a 37% surge in phone thefts in the neighborhood, despite a significant drop in vehicle robberies.
20/12/2025 – On Saturday (20), the Rio-Niterói Bridge was completely shut down for over an hour after a man accessed the lanes on foot and climbed a signaling gantry. The rescue operation, coordinated by the Federal Highway Police (PRF), paralyzed traffic on major arteries including the Linha Vermelha and Avenida Brasil. The individual was safely removed and transported to a psychiatric hospital, with all lanes reopening in the early afternoon. This incident added to a day of significant logistical disruptions in Rio de Janeiro, following protests and security incidents across the city.
20/12/2025 – On Saturday (20), a shootout during an attempted robbery on Barão de Mesquita Street, in the Tijuca neighborhood, left one suspect dead and an elderly bystander wounded. The confrontation occurred when two criminals on a motorcycle targeted a luxury vehicle near an Army Police barracks, prompting military personnel to intervene.
21/12/2025 – On Domingo (21), a 15-km police chase from Bonsucesso to Rua da Passagem, Botafogo, South Zone, ended with one suspect dead and five others arrested. Members of a carjacking gang from Complexo do Alemão fled down Avenida Brasil, leading to a shootout where two suspects were wounded and three others were detained. Officers recovered a stolen vehicle, two revolvers, a replica rifle, and a GPS jammer used to block tracking signals. This high-speed pursuit highlights the ongoing struggle against specialized vehicle theft rings in the state throughout 2025.
22/12/2025 – On Monday (22), approximately 1,300 workers from the Vila Isabel and Real bus companies began a strike in Rio de Janeiro over unpaid salaries, benefits, and poor working conditions. The walkout paralyzed 24 bus lines, causing major transport delays at hubs like Terminal Gentileza and Central do Brasil. The Municipal Secretariat of Transport has ordered other consortia to increase their frequency to cover the affected routes while negotiations continue. This mobilization reflects a deepening financial crisis within the city’s bus companies that has persisted throughout the year.
23/12/2025 – On Tuesday (23), a large group of hundreds of motorcyclists caused significant disruption during an unauthorized “ride-out” on the Linha Amarela. Around 03h00, participants blocked a section of the expressway to set off fireworks, generating intense noise that sparked widespread complaints from residents. Despite the scale of the gathering and the resulting disturbance, the Military Police reported they were not called to the scene at the time of the occurrence.
23/12/2025 – On Tuesday (23), an attempted theft of 180 meters of underground cables left approximately 2,000 customers without power in Barra da Tijuca, Southwest Zone. This marks the 18th occurrence in the area since October, bringing the total number of affected residents to 60,000 and causing nearly R$ 900,000 in damage. According to the utility company Light, the service was interrupted for over two hours before being restored.
23/12/2025 – On Tuesday (23), an off-duty police officer thwarted an attempted robbery in the Lagoa neighborhood, South Zone. After being targeted, the officer reacted and shot the suspect, who was riding a motorcycle. Security footage shows the officer exiting his vehicle and holding the suspect at gunpoint while he remained on the ground. Teams from the “Lagoa Presente” security program arrived shortly after to provide support and secure the scene.
23/12/2025 – On Tuesday (23), 36-year-old Géssica Oliveira de Souza, who was pregnant, was stabbed to death inside the Rocinha community, South Zone. The victim was rushed to Miguel Couto Municipal Hospital but arrived without vital signs, displaying multiple marks of violence. Following the attack, the Capital Homicide Division identified her boyfriend as the primary suspect in what is being investigated as a femicide. The perpetrator was captured by police near the Novo Rio bus station while attempting to flee to the state of Minas Gerais.
24/12/2025 – On Wednesday (24), PM Sergeant Belk Viana Thomaz was killed during an attempted motorcycle robbery in Engenho Novo, North Zone, after being shot in the femoral artery during a confrontation. His death marks the second police fatality in the city within 24 hours, following the execution of retired officer Flavio Ferreira Mathias in Padre Miguel on Tuesday (23). These incidents bring the total number of military police officers killed in the state in 2025 to 53.
25/12/2025 – On Thursday (25), a woman died after being stabbed during a robbery inside a BRT bus near the Rubem Vaz station in Bonsucesso, North Zone. The victim was struck in the chest and taken to Salgado Filho Municipal Hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries, while a second woman was treated and released. The incident occurred on the line connecting Deodoro to Terminal Gentileza and is currently being investigated by the Capital Homicide Division.
25/12/2025 – On Thursday (25), the Rio de Janeiro Civil Police launched a murder investigation following the discovery of the body of 34-year-old Sabina Saron Camila Mates in a burned-out building downtown. Although fire ravaged part of the residence on André Cavalcante Street, the victim was found in a hallway untouched by the flames, strengthening the theory of a crime followed by arson. Neighbors reported hearing a violent argument just before the fire started. The victim, a mother of two, worked as a street vendor in the Lapa district.
26/12/2025 – On Friday (26), military police shot and killed the primary suspect in the murder of Sabina Mates in downtown Rio de Janeiro. The man, an ex-partner of the victim, was in Lapa after reports of an armed individual threatening bystanders; he was shot after pointing a pistol at officers. This development occurs as civil police investigate a surge in violence, with two additional femicides recorded in Inhoaíba and Mangaratiba (West Zone) within the same 24-hour period.
26/12/2025 – On Friday (26), a 42-year-old Military Police officer was arrested for an armed robbery at a bar in Vila Mimosa (North Zone) that occurred on December 17. Security footage captured the officer greeting a patron before pulling a gun, assaulting victims, and stealing cell phones and cash during a five-minute ordeal. He was apprehended in Curicica, Southwest Zone, and is currently held at the PM Prison Unit in Niterói.
27/12/2025 – On Saturday (27), a couple shoplifted twenty items of clothing, two handbags, perfume, and footwear from a store inside the Rio Sul Shopping mall in Botafogo, South Zone. The theft was reported by the store manager and mall security, who alerted the military police. Officers from the 2nd BPM intercepted the suspects while they were still in possession of the stolen goods.
27/12/2025 – On Saturday (27), in the Bangu neighborhood, West Zone, two men were shot and killed while riding a motorcycle on Estrada do Engenho. One victim was found still wearing a helmet next to the vehicle and was identified, while the identity of the second young man was not initially confirmed.
28/12/2025 – On Sunday (28), residents of Guaratiba, West Zone, blocked Avenida Dom João VI and set tires on fire near the Magarça BRT station to protest a week-long lack of water and electricity during extreme heat exceeding 35°C. The demonstration disrupted 3 BRT lines for nearly an hour before authorities cleared the lanes. The utility company Light attributed the outages to grid overload caused by illegal connections, while the water supplier Rio + Saneamento stated that repairs to the local pumping system were completed on Saturday (27).
28/12/2025 – On Sunday (28), at Recreio dos Bandeirantes beach, Southwest Zone, an innocent bystander was shot during a confrontation between two armed men near Lifeguard Station 12. According to O Globo, the suspects fled the scene immediately after the shooting, and the victim was rescued by firefighters and transported to a local hospital.
29/12/2025 – On Sunday (28) and Monday (29), “Operation Tatuí” on the Copacabana beach resulted in the seizure of hundreds of drinks and crates buried in the sand to be sold illegally during New Year’s Eve. Conducted by Seop along with the Municipal Guard, the action mainly targeted the area around the main stage where bottles of alcohol and water were hidden. These interventions also dismantled irregular camps, in accordance with the May 2025 decree aimed at better organizing public space along the coastline.
29/12/2025 – On Monday (29), the Rio de Janeiro Homicide Division arrested one of three suspects involved in the fatal stabbing of Priscilla da Silva Almeida, 40, aboard a BRT bus on Christmas Day. The suspect was apprehended at a hospital in the North Zone after being beaten by local criminals following the murder. In his statement, he confessed that the group boarded the bus to commit robberies, during which his accomplices stabbed the victim when she resisted the theft of her bag. Police are still searching for the two other suspects involved in the attack.
29/12/2025 – On Monday (29), an unidentified man was shot dead in the Jardim Boiúna area of Taquara, in the Southwest Zone. He was reportedly targeted while conducting illegal militia collections at local businesses on Rua dos Biólogos. The Homicide Division is investigating the case to identify those responsible, while the 18th BPM remains on alert in the region, which is known for territorial disputes between paramilitary groups.
30/12/2025 – On Tuesday (30), a joint operation by the Rio Civil Police intercepted approximately 2,000 inhalants of poppers and 31 high-caliber magazines being shipped from Complexo da Maré, North Zone. Disguised as Christmas gifts with trees and lights, the illegal cargo was found within a professional delivery logistics company destined for Bahia, Minas Gerais, and Goiás. Electronic surveillance allowed officers to track the route and seize the materials before they left the state, highlighting a major interstate trafficking network.
30/12/2025 – On Tuesday (30), Civil Police arrested a second suspect for the kidnapping and suspected murder of a 24-year-old newsstand worker. The individual was found hiding in a ceiling compartment near a water tank at a residence in Del Castilho, North Zone. The victim, who disappeared in late November in Niterói, is believed to have been targeted due to his involvement in the illegal cigarette trade.
31/12/2025 – On Wednesday (31), a woman was caught attempting to steal high-value groceries from a supermarket in Copacabana by swapping their price tags for $1.99 barcode stickers. Using a self-checkout terminal, she tried to pay for items worth over $330.00—including salmon and expensive jam—at the price of a soda. An alert employee noticed the discrepancy and called nearby officers from the 12th Precinct, who arrested the suspect in flagrante as she attempted to flee the store with the fraudulent labels.
31/12/2025 – On Wednesday (31), a fugitive wanted for robbery was arrested on Avenida Delfim Moreira in Leblon after being identified by the city’s new facial recognition technology. The arrest took place near the major New Year’s Eve celebration zone, where the Military Police had deployed 300 patrol cars equipped with real-time biometric scanning and license plate readers. This high-tech surveillance system, integrated with the Integrated Command and Control Center (CICC), was part of a massive security operation involving 3,500 officers and 16 security checkpoints to monitor the crowds during the festivities.
31/12/2025 – During the 2026 New Year’s Eve celebrations in Copacabana, Military Police seized more than 200 sharp objects, including knives, scissors, and box cutters, at 17 security checkpoints. The operation, which secured a crowd of 2.6 million people, also resulted in the recovery of 12 cellphones and smart glasses found during searches. This high-security initiative featured 3,500 officers and the debut of 300 patrol cars equipped with facial recognition technology linked directly to the Integrated Command and Control Center.
31/12/2025 – During the 2026 New Year’s Eve operations at Galeão International Airport, an international drug trafficking attempt was thwarted involving the transport of 2 kg of cocaine. The narcotics were hidden inside checked luggage intended for a flight to Madrid, Spain. Federal Police intercepted the suitcase during routine screening on Wednesday (31), leading to the immediate arrest of a Paraguayan national. The suspect was charged with international drug trafficking and remains in the state prison system awaiting trial.
TRENDS & ADVICE
- Mass robberies and thefts in tourist spots are some of the most notorious security risks in Rio de Janeiro, especially in the city’s South Zone.
- When moving through crowded places and their vicinities, visitors should be cautious and refrain from exposing valuables.
- 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.
- Rio is famous for its favelas, and most are affected by the presence of gangs. Disputes for territory between rivals and police operations lead to gunfights. Therefore, these locations should never be visited.
- Shootouts may also occur outside such communities, in this case:
- Lay on the ground and seek cover behind a solid object, such as the engine block.
- When it is safe to do so, find the nearest building, stay away from any windows, and do not move unless you are sure that the gunfire has ended.
- Shootouts may also occur outside such communities, in this case:
- Avoid walking alone in poorly lit areas or beaches after nightfall. Avoid walking/biking through tunnels, especially Túnel do Leme.
- As sexual aggressions are on the rise, women should pay special attention to the environments where they go alone and avoid empty and dark places.
- During a night out, never accept offers of food and beverages from strangers, and pay attention to yours, as they can add drugs to them.
- Men and women alike are targets of such crimes.
- Be always cautious, even in the areas considered safe, such as Downtown, Botafogo, Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon, and Barra da Tijuca.
- Exercise caution in the Centro (downtown) during the day and avoid the area after nightfall and during the weekends, as it is relatively deserted during such periods.
- Be careful when using the GPS, as it may lead you to unsafe areas controlled by organized crime.
- Remain on the main streets and roads and avoid the rush hours.
- Prefer cooperative taxis instead of driving yourself or using a ride-sharing App.
- Stay away from any protests that normally occur in Av. Presidente Vargas, Av. Rio Branco, Praça da Cinelândia, and Av. Atlântica.
- Attention to scams that may reach you through a WhatsApp message, e-mail, SMS, or a call.
- Keep in mind useful numbers: Emergency police number (190), and Rio de Janeiro tourist Police. Phone: (21) 2332-7949
