According to SSP-SP data for 2025, Gonzaga is the neighborhood in Santos with the highest number of property crimes, 774 incidents, followed by Centro (565) and Boqueirão (552). While Gonzaga and Boqueirão face high theft rates due to intense commercial activity, the Centro district records the city’s highest volume of vehicle thefts. In contrast, Morro Santa Terezinha and Caruara remain the areas with minimal occurrences. These statistics highlight that crime is heavily concentrated in high-traffic transit and tourist hubs.
The 2025-2026 Integrated Summer Operation concluded on the São Paulo coast with a record 899 arrests and a significant 38.7% drop in robberies compared to the previous year. Mobilizing over 4,000 officers and 150 drones, the 80-day initiative also led to a 53.8% decrease in vehicle thefts and the seizure of 151.8 kg of drugs. Beyond crime prevention, the operation included intense maritime safety efforts, with firefighters and lifeguards rescuing 4,400 people from drowning across thirteen coastal cities.
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02/03/2026 – On Monday (2), a 20-year-old freshman was targeted by a police investigation after leaking WhatsApp messages revealed him threatening to rape a female classmate. In the group chat, the student detailed plans to assault the victim at a university party while wearing a mask to conceal his identity. Following the public outcry and the severity of the threats, the Santa Cecília university (Boqueirão) officially expelled the student, banning him from all academic activities and campus premises.
05/03/2026 – On Thursday (5), Civil Police dismantled a sophisticated criminal network involved in the theft and laundering of precious minerals, such as tungsten, through “Operation W74”. The gang intercepted export containers at the Santos Logistics Hub, replacing high-value cargo with worthless iron powder and using cloned seals to bypass inspections until reaching destinations like Germany. The operation led to the seizure of 3.6 tons of minerals and the freezing of R$15 million in assets across several companies and individuals.
05/03/2026 – On Thursday (5), the Civil Police dismantled a fraudulent modeling agency that had scammed more than ten victims, causing losses exceeding R$ 30,000. The group rented commercial spaces to lure aspiring models with promises of professional photo shoots and job placements in exchange for upfront fees that never resulted in any services. During the raid, officers seized cell phones, notebooks, and a replica firearm.
06/03/2026 – On Friday (6), a 19-year-old man died after being shot by Military Police during an operation in Caminho São José, in the Rádio Clube neighborhood. According to the Secretariat of Public Security (SSP-SP), the suspect was with another individual and allegedly made a motion to shoot at the police officers. He was treated by SAMU and taken to the Santa Casa de Santos, but he did not survive. Drugs were seized from him, and a firearm was recovered from a nearby canal; the second suspect managed to escape.
08/03/2026 – On Sunday (8), a man was shot during a confrontation with Military Police during an operation on Morro São Bento. Officers were met with gunfire from armed criminals, leading to a shootout that left one suspect wounded.
09/03/2026 – On Monday night (9), a woman wanted for first-degree murder was arrested by the Civil Police at a bar on Rua General Câmara, in downtown Santos, while playing pool. She had been under investigation for a crime committed in November 2025 in São José do Rio Preto and was located following intelligence monitoring by the 3rd Homicide Division (DEIC). At the time of the arrest, the suspect was wearing the same clothes and shoes recorded by security cameras on the day of the murder.
10/03/2026 – On Tuesday (10), the Federal Police launched Operation Costeau in Santos and Valinhos to dismantle a transnational drug trafficking and money laundering network. The investigation began after French authorities seized 124 Kg of cocaine hidden in the hull of the vessel Great Sea, which had departed from the Port of Santos. Through international cooperation and the Origami Dossier, officers executed three arrest warrants and eight search and seizure warrants against the criminal group.
11/03/2026 – On Wednesday (11), a 3-year-old boy’s foot was run over by a Military Police vehicle as he was leaving daycare in the Morro São Bento area. Security footage and witness accounts show that the officer driving the vehicle failed to provide immediate aid and instead verbally abused and threatened the child’s parents, shouting insults and threats of arrest.
11/03/2026 – On Wednesday (11), a 42-year-old woman was threatened with rape after dropping her daughter off at ballet class at the Municipal Theater in the Vila Mathias. The suspect followed the victim to her car, pounded on the window, and shouted sexual threats before scratching the side of the vehicle and fleeing. Police, who released a blurred image of the suspect, identified him as a recurring nuisance at the theater rather than a homeless person, and are now using city surveillance cameras to track him down.
12/03/2026 – On Thursday (12), a truck driver was arrested at the Port of Santos after authorities discovered 214 kg of cocaine hidden in the vehicle’s ceiling lining. Federal Revenue agents found the narcotics during a routine surveillance operation targeting trucks transporting containers to a ship. The driver was detained on-site.
15/03/2026 – On Sunday (15), a 34-year-old woman was kidnapped in Santos over an escalating debt with a loan shark. The victim had originally borrowed money to avoid eviction, and although her partner believed he had settled the debt with a R$ 7,000 payment, the criminals demanded an additional R$ 3,000 in interest. The kidnappers used video calls and text messages to threaten her family, stating she would be harmed or held until April if the ransom wasn’t paid within hours.
19/03/2026 – On Thursday (19), a large-scale joint operation against drug trafficking and organized crime mobilized approximately 300 military and civil police officers in the hills of Santos. The action aimed to dismantle the logistical structures of criminal factions operating in the region and to execute several arrest warrants. Supported by specialized units and helicopters, this massive intervention led to arrests and the seizure of narcotics, reinforcing the police presence in areas considered strategic for drug exports via the Port of Santos.
20/03/2026 – On Friday night (20), a kiosk on Rei Pelé Avenue in the Ponta da Praia neighborhood was burglarized, resulting in a loss of R$ 6,000. Surveillance footage captured an individual arriving by bicycle and climbing over the counter to steal cash and merchandise. This marks the fifth time the establishment has been targeted in a short period.
21/03/2026 – On Saturday (21), the Civil Police dismantled a major distribution center in the São Manoel neighborhood, seizing approximately 360 kg of crack. Six individuals, including one woman, were arrested in the act during the operation targeting a trafficking consortium that supplied the entire Baixada Santista region. The drugs were already packaged in bricks and distributed across several vehicles ready for transport. This record seizure highlights a complex logistical organization with a precise division of labor between lookouts, drivers, and distributors.
23/03/2026 – On Monday (23), a woman used the SP Mulher app’s SOS button to report her ex-partner for violating a protective order. The man used an old electronic tag to enter her apartment building on Avenida Santista, in the Morro Nova Cintra neighborhood, and attempted to contact her. Military Police responded immediately to the digital alert and arrested the suspect on the premises. He was taken to the Women’s Defense Delegation (DDM), where he remains in custody.
23/03/2026 – On Monday (23), police in Santos identified a 50-year-old man accused of filming a woman’s private parts inside a municipal bus. The incident occurred on March 17, when the victim noticed the suspect recording her and confronted him, causing him to flee the vehicle. Following a digital investigation and a positive identification by the victim at the Women’s Defense Delegation (DDM), the suspect turned himself in with a lawyer and voluntarily handed over his phone. The device has been seized for forensic analysis.
TRENDS & ADVICE
- Be cautious when in the vicinity of Embaré, Ponta da Praia, Campo Grande, Rádio Clube, Downtown, and Estuário.
- Never visit neighborhoods on the hills, such as Morro de São Bento, Jabaquara, Saboo, and others, since they are gang-controlled zones where shootouts occur frequently.
- Avoid passing near the VLT tunnel, in José Menino, as many drug users and homeless people stay there, especially next to the walls of the Clube dos Ingleses.
- The waterfront has many incidents of thefts and robberies (snatch and run), never display wealth, and avoid walking there during the night.
- During the Summer, risks increase, due to the bigger number of beachgoers.
- Residences in the neighborhoods of Pompeia, Gonzaga, Boqueirão, Embaré, Aparecida, Estuário, and Ponta da Praia are frequently targeted by thieves who look for bikes and items in the common areas.
- Make sure your building is well protected, with a 24/7 doorperson.
- Be cautious at all times, including in areas perceived as safe.
- Always carry a small amount of money (R$50) to hand over to muggers if attacked.
- In case of robbery: cooperate, do not try to run after the assailant, as they might be armed or resort to violence.
- In case of kidnapping:
- Cooperate in order to mitigate the risk of violence, and do not lie or provide false information to your kidnappers.
- Bear in mind that the vast majority of kidnappings are financially motivated, and nowadays they tend to be quick and focused on forcing the victims to transfer money using their cell phones.
- Attention to scams that may reach you through a WhatsApp message, e-mail, SMS, or a call.
