In the first two months of 2025, São Paulo state recorded an average of 22 wedding rings and bands stolen or snatched per day, a 56% increase compared to the same period in 2024. A total of 1,333 rings were taken, mostly in public areas and especially in the capital and its metropolitan region. Rising gold prices and organized crime have made rings a frequent target for thieves. Most incidents occurred in the morning, with nearly 1,200 cases reported on the streets. Authorities say police investigations are ongoing to dismantle the illegal resale networks behind these crimes, with intelligence-led operations targeting key players.
11/04/2025 – On Friday (11), a Senegalese street vendor was shot and killed by a police officer during a street enforcement operation on Rua Joaquim Nabuco, in the Brás neighborhood, downtown. Police claim the man assaulted an officer with a metal bar before being shot. His death sparked a protest that was dispersed with tear gas. According to migrant rights organizations, the case reflects ongoing institutional violence targeting Black and foreign informal workers.
12/04/2025 – On Saturday (12), a man got out of a vehicle and opened fire on Rua Maria Borba, in Vila Buarque, downtown, killing a 34-year-old bar owner and injuring two other people. One of the victims was assisted by acquaintances, while the other was taken to a hospital by emergency services. The case is being investigated as homicide and attempted homicide.
12/04/2025 – On Saturday (12), a street vendor protest in downtown São Paulo was dispersed by military police using tear gas. The demonstration began peacefully on Rua Joaquim Nabuco, in the Brás neighborhood, but escalated after someone threw a bottle at officers. The crowd scattered in panic, and some nearby shops closed their doors. According to lawyers present, a human rights attorney was also targeted with stun grenades during the intervention.
12/04/2025 – On Saturday (12), a 32-year-old woman was shot in the leg while walking along Rua Gomes de Carvalho, in Vila Olímpia, West Zone. The shot came during a robbery attempt by two armed men on a motorcycle targeting a nearby couple. One of the victims resisted, leading to a struggle and multiple gunshots. The woman hit by a stray bullet had no involvement in the incident and was taken to Hospital São Paulo. The suspects fled the scene without taking anything. Police are investigating the case as attempted robbery and unlawful firearm use.
13/04/2025 – On Sunday (13), a 39-year-old trans activist was physically assaulted by a man at the entrance of her residential building in Bela Vista, downtown São Paulo. Security footage shows the suspect dragging her back inside and punching her in the face multiple times. The attack occurred after she reportedly asked the man to leave her apartment, following a personal encounter. The victim was helped by neighbors, who called the police, but the suspect fled before officers arrived. The case was registered as bodily harm at the 78th Police District.
13/04/2025 – On Sunday night (13), on Rua das Orquídeas, in the Saúde neighborhood, South Zone, a pastor was filmed masturbating in front of a teenager and a woman. These acts of sexual harassment led the victims to file a police report. Identified by the police through his license plate, he was questioned and then released. He is currently under investigation for these acts.
15/04/2025 – On Tuesday (15), police launched Operation Safe Adolescence across seven Brazilian states to dismantle a major criminal network targeting children and teens online. The coordinated action took place in Goiás, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, and São Paulo. Two adults were arrested, and seven minors were apprehended. The group operated through encrypted platforms like Discord and Telegram, organizing violent “challenges.” A key incident involved a homeless man severely burned by a Molotov cocktail attack streamed live. The criminal network is responsible for several serious online offenses, including attempted murder, incitement to suicide, encouragement of self-harm, child pornography, animal cruelty, and Nazi propaganda. U.S. agencies supported the investigation due to the group’s international reach.
15/04/2025 – A retired police officer was deliberately run over twice in the parking lot of Shopping Metrô Itaquera, in Itaquera, East Zone, on Tuesday (15). The case is being investigated as an act of revenge. The victim had been accused of fatally shooting a man seven times during a traffic dispute in July 2024. The vehicle used in the hit-and-run is registered to the father of the man killed last year, but the driver has not yet been arrested. Police identified the car after it left behind its bumper and license plate at the scene.
16/04/2025 – On Wednesday (16), around 150 Haitian families were forcibly evicted from a plot of land in Pirituba, North Zone. The early-morning operation, carried out by military police, resulted in the demolition of at least 60 homes. A Haitian woman was handcuffed and arrested for contempt of authority in front of her children during the operation. The land belongs to a private company and is classified as an environmental preservation area, according to public security officials.
