During the 2026 Carnival in São Paulo, the Women’s Defense Precincts (DDM) arrested 22 people in flagrante for gender-based violence and sexual harassment. A total of 285 police reports were filed over the four-day celebration, covering incidents of harassment, physical assault, and threats, primarily occurring at street parties (blocos). Female undercover officers were deployed among the crowds to facilitate immediate arrests, while specialized tents provided support for victims. Authorities emphasized that reporting early aggression is vital to curbing the escalation of domestic violence and addressing underreported crimes.
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19/02/2026 – On Thursday (19), the São Paulo Public Ministry denounced influencer and Gaviões da Fiel muse Natacha Horana for money laundering linked to the PCC crime faction. One week after her Carnival parade, she stands accused of using criminal funds from her ex-boyfriend, PCC gang leader “Colorido”, to hide the ownership of a R$ 320,000 Mercedes-Benz and another property. Prosecutors highlight that Horana moved R$ 15 million between 2014 and 2024, amounts deemed incompatible with her earnings, while her defense maintains she is being unjustly targeted solely for a past romantic relationship.
19/02/2026 – On Thursday (19), a female São Paulo Metropolitan Civil Guard (GCM) officer filed a police report against her direct supervisor for verbal abuse and threats while on duty in the Brás district, Central São Paulo. The agent stated that her superior humiliated her with insults and threatened physical violence in front of colleagues near the “Feira da Madrugada”. In response, the City of São Paulo immediately removed the supervisor from his unit and opened an internal investigation, reaffirming its zero-tolerance policy for conduct incompatible with public administration ethics.
21/02/2026 – On Saturday morning (21), a man was arrested on the Marginal Tietê in the Água Branca neighborhood, North São Paulo, after firing several shots from his vehicle. When approached by the Traffic Policing Command (CPTran) near the Júlio de Mesquita Neto Bridge, the suspect falsely identified himself as a police officer. During the search of his vehicle, officers found five spent casings and a 9mm pistol with its serial number filed off hidden on the driver’s side floor.
21/02/2026 – On Saturday night (21), a 38-year-old businessman driving a Porsche ran over an armed robber on Avenida República do Líbano in the Moema district after being stripped of his Rolex and gold jewelry. The driver pursued the criminal, dragging the thief’s stolen motorcycle for 100 meters until the suspect fell. A retired police officer passing by apprehended the 32-year-old assailant while his accomplice escaped; the stolen luxury items were recovered, and a revolver with a filed-off serial number was seized.
21/02/2026 – On Saturday night (21), an intruder broke into a fifth-floor luxury apartment in Vila Olímpia, São Paulo, after reportedly scaling the building’s balconies. The man had already entered another unit on the second floor prior to this intrusion. As he stepped inside the residence, he was confronted by a 3-kg Yorkshire Terrier whose persistent barking alerted the owner. Startled by the small dog’s reaction, the burglar immediately fled the scene without stealing any items.
22/02/2026 – On Sunday (22), Military Police arrested in the act two women in the Ibirapuera neighborhood, South São Paulo, for allegedly selling marijuana-infused edibles, known as “brisadeiros”, during post-Carnival megablocos. Officers seized 24 drugged brownies, three marijuana cigarettes, and R$ 169 in cash.
22/02/2026 – On Sunday (22), a 26-year-old Portuguese driver under the influence of alcohol struck and killed an off-duty Military Police officer in the Ponte Rasa neighborhood, East São Paulo. Security footage shows the driver turning against traffic into Rua Itamarati de Minas, colliding with the motorcycle of Corporal Diego Richard Ferreira de Souza, who was returning from work. Although a breathalyzer test was confirmed, and witnesses initially claimed the driver attempted to flee, the Public Security Secretariat (SSP) stated he provided assistance and was released after questioning. Reports indicate the driver was scheduled to return to Portugal the same day.
22/02/2026 – On Sunday (22), a 34-year-old advertising professional was assaulted at a bar in the Bixiga neighborhood of Bela Vista, Central São Paulo, after asking the owner for a cigarette, an act his wife interpreted as flirting. The victim reported being knocked down and beaten by the merchant and two other women, resulting in facial injuries, while the business owner claims she acted in self-defense against insults.
22/02/2026 – On Sunday (22), a couple was assaulted at Ibirapuera Park following a dispute over park rules at the dog run. The conflict began when a man entered the area reserved for small pets with a large dog, reportedly a Pitbull; when the couple picked up their small dogs out of caution, the man began mocking them before physically attacking both victims. The park’s administrator expressed regret and provided surveillance footage to the police, while animal rights activists have called for stricter enforcement and better separation between large and small dog areas.
23/02/2026 – In the early hours of Monday (23), a driver identifying himself as a court clerk for the São Paulo Court of Justice (TJ-SP) crashed into a traffic light pole in the Bela Vista neighborhood, central São Paulo. The accident occurred at the intersection of Paulista and Brigadeiro Luís Antônio avenues following a high-speed police chase sparked when the driver fled a breathalyzer checkpoint (Lei Seca). Showing clear signs of intoxication, the man resisted arrest.
23/02/2026 – On Monday (23), the São Paulo Civil Police arrested two men for attempting to extort R$ 325,000 from the owner of one of Brazil’s largest private security firms. The suspects allegedly threatened to report the victim for tax evasion and harassed his family via social media, even attempting to enter a luxury condominium in Bragança Paulista, near Campinas, under false pretenses. Both detainees have significant criminal records, including a prior 16-year sentence for kidnapping in one case, while a third suspect remains at large.
23/02/2026 – On Monday (23), 22-year-old Priscila Versão was killed in a suspected femicide in the Brasilândia neighborhood, North São Paulo. Her partner, 35-year-old driver Deivit Bezerra Pereira, was arrested after bringing her lifeless body to a hospital with visible signs of physical assault, bruising, and clothes smelling of gasoline. Priscila, who leaves behind three young children, was a friend of a woman who died in a high-profile incident last December after being dragged by a car on the Marginal Tietê. The suspect allegedly threatened to set himself on fire at the hospital before being detained by authorities.
23/02/2026 – On February 23, 2026, an 18-year-old woman was the victim of a violent attempted femicide on Rua Carolina Brant in Guaianases, East São Paulo, where she was stabbed in the middle of the street by her former partner. The attack was captured by security cameras, and the victim was rushed to the hospital, where she is now out of danger. The perpetrator, a 37-year-old man has a history of domestic violence.
24/02/2026 – On Tuesday (24), the São Paulo Civil Police arrested ten people during “Operation End of the Fable”, targeting a criminal organization specialized in digital scams and money laundering. The operation, spanning São Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Brasília, executed 120 search warrants and 53 temporary arrest warrants, including one against funk singer MC Negão. Authorities blocked 86 bank accounts with potential holdings of up to R$ 100 million each and seized 36 properties used in schemes such as the “ghost hand” scam and PIX fraud. The investigation aims to recover assets diverted through shell companies to compensate thousands of victims across Brazil.
24/02/2026 – On Tuesday night (24), five armed men, one reportedly carrying a rifle, robbed a supermarket in the Moema neighborhood. The criminals gained entry by posing as delivery personnel after the store had closed, taking eight employees hostage during the raid. Although the alarm eventually scared the group off, leading them to abandon some loot, they successfully fled with alcohol, meat, cigarettes, and two cell phones. No injuries were reported, and the suspects remain at large.
25/02/2026 – On Wednesday (25), São Paulo Civil Police launched “Operation Cilindrada”, arresting at least 17 suspects involved in a high-end motorcycle theft ring. The gang targeted motorcyclists on streets and highways to dismantle the bikes and resell parts in local shops. Over 180 officers executed 27 arrest warrants and 36 search warrants, seizing stolen motorcycles, helmets, a vehicle, and R$ 30,000 in cash.
26/02/2026 – On Thursday (26), Civil Police arrested two men suspected of masterminding a deadly ambush that claimed the life of 20-year-old student Beatriz Munhos last November. The suspects, aged 22 and 26, allegedly used fake social media profiles to lure sellers of high-value goods into robberies. Munhos was shot in the head in front of her father and boyfriend during a setup involving the sale of a R$ 27,000 drone; these new arrests follow the previous capture of the two men who physically carried out the attack.
26/02/2026 – On Thursday (26), a couple in a ride-share vehicle survived a “window-smashing” robbery attempt near the Municipal Market in central São Paulo. The incident occurred on Avenida do Estado when a criminal shattered the rear window to grab a passenger’s phone. The victim managed to hold onto the device, and the attacker fled empty-handed. Dashcam footage of the assault has since gone viral, highlighting a frequent crime trend in that specific area.
