Sabesp reported a 74.7% increase in water meter thefts across the state of São Paulo during the first half of 2026, totaling 23,724 stolen devices, with a 58.3% increase in the capital alone. The utility company attributes the wave of thefts to vulnerable individuals stealing the brass and copper equipment to sell at scrap yards to buy drugs, prompting Sabesp to begin replacing the metallic meters with composite plastic models.
This Content Is Only For Subscribers
To unlock this content, subscribe to INTERLIRA Reports.
13/10/2026 – In recent days leading up to Tuesday (13), ten bodies were discovered with signs of violence in the East Zone of São Paulo. The victims were found tied up and wrapped in plastic bags or blankets. The Department of Homicides and Personal Protection (DHPP) discarded the possibility of a serial killer and is investigating the murders as potential actions of a criminal faction’s “Tribunal do Crime,” noting that all the victims had a criminal history.
14/10/2026 – On Wednesday morning (14), Military Police arrested three men and apprehended two teenagers following robberies committed on the cycle lane of Marginal Pinheiros, in the South Zone of São Paulo. Officers were dispatched after receiving reports of robberies against cyclists, resulting in the recovery of a firearm, cell phones, a tablet, and chains. The suspects were taken to the 89º Police Precinct.
14/10/2026 – On Wednesday afternoon (14), four criminals invaded the Matsunaga family mansion in Alto de Pinheiros, West Zone of São Paulo, tying up six hostages, including the daughter of Marcos and Elize Matsunaga and three employees. A street security guard noticed suspicious movement and alerted a nearby ROTA patrol; in the ensuing shootout inside the residence, three suspects were killed by Military Police, a 39-year-old suspect was arrested, and one police officer was shot in the shoulder.
15/10/2026 – On Thursday (15), a woman died after being shot at point-blank range by a Military Police officer on Avenida Mutinga, in Parque São Domingos, West Zone of São Paulo. Security camera footage showed the woman advancing against the officers with a knife before the fatal shot was fired; the officer involved was arrested in flagrante, and the case is being investigated by the DHPP and the Military Police Corregedoria.
15/10/2026 – A motorcyclist was targeted in an attempted robbery by two armed criminals in the Jardim Marajoara neighborhood, South Zone of São Paulo. The crime was interrupted by the arrival of a police vehicle; one suspect was shot five times by police after making a movement to draw a weapon and died before reaching the hospital, while the second suspect, a 21-year-old with a criminal record, was arrested.
15/10/2026 – A man was stabbed and killed during a traffic dispute in São Paulo. The fatal stabbing occurred amid a direct altercation between individuals involved in the traffic incident.
15/10/2026 – A passenger was grazed by a stray bullet inside a public bus in São Paulo. The incident happened when the bus driver stopped at a location where a robbery was in progress, and criminals fired shots that struck the passenger in the back of the vehicle. SPTrans confirmed the occurrence, and the victim does not have life-threatening injuries.
15/10/2026 – Authorities reported a new tactic where criminals in São Paulo are utilizing electric scooters to commit thefts, taking advantage of the vehicles’ lack of license plates to evade police identification. The thieves typically operate in pairs or groups using unregistered scooters; in one highlighted case in the Brooklin neighborhood, South Zone, two men on a scooter attempted to steal a woman’s necklace.
