In the first two months of 2025, São Paulo city saw a 16% rise in intentional homicides compared to the same period in 2024, with 94 cases and 95 victims. Attempted homicides surged by 51%, from 90 to 136. Meanwhile, the number of robberies followed by death dropped from 12 to 9 (–25%). Reports of rape increased by 30%, and rape of vulnerable individuals rose by 5.5%. Across Greater São Paulo, similar trends were observed.
Between 2021 and 2024, the use of synthetic cannabinoids known as K2, K4, K9, or “K drugs” surged in São Paulo, with reported intoxication cases rising from 25 to over 1,000 per year. A public health study conducted with data from the municipal and state health departments found that the primary users are brown-skinned males aged 15 to 34. These drugs act on the central nervous system with up to 100 times the potency of traditional cannabis, causing hallucinations and potentially fatal toxicity.
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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.
01/04/2025 – On Monday (01/04), an architect was shot and killed during a robbery attempt on Rua Desembargador Armando Fairbanks, in Butantã, West Zone. Security footage shows the victim ramming one of the armed suspects with his car before being shot in the neck. The assailants fled on foot after abandoning a motorcycle.
01/04/2025 – A 46-year-old man was the victim of an armed robbery on Monday (01/04), in the Vila Formosa neighborhood, East Zone. After being robbed of his wallet and phone, the attackers took him to Rua Flor de Vila Formosa and shot him five times. Seriously injured, he pretended to be dead to survive. He then managed to crawl to a nearby field, where emergency responders found and rescued him. No suspects have been arrested.
02/04/2025 – Gunshots were fired on Wednesday (02/04), in the parking lot of Center Norte Mall in Vila Guilherme, North Zone, after two men attempted to steal spare tires from parked cars. Security guards opened fire when they spotted the suspects in action, but the men managed to flee, damaging the exit gate in the process. Their car, found later by police in the Pari neighborhood, had bullet holes and traces of blood inside.
02/04/2025 – A 37-year-old man was stabbed to death during a robbery attempt on Wednesday night (02/04) while hiking in the Tietê Ecological Park, in the Via Parque neighborhood, East Zone. According to the police, witnesses found the man badly injured, with multiple stab wounds to his arms and legs. Before losing consciousness, he stated he had been attacked during a robbery. The suspect was located in a wooded area of the park and was arrested.
02/04/2025 – A thief on a bicycle was caught on video robbing a car stuck in heavy traffic on Viaduto Grande São Paulo, in Vila Prudente, East Zone, on Wednesday night (02/04). The video shows the man riding along the sidewalk during rush hour, then approaching a stopped car, entering through the window, and stealing what appears to be the driver’s cellphone. He then fled with the help of an accomplice. Despite the video evidence, São Paulo’s Public Security Department stated there is no police report on the case.
03/04/2025 – A 27-year-old driver was arrested on Thursday (03/04) in the Casa Verde neighborhood, North Zone, for the rape and attempted robbery of a 21-year-old Bolivian passenger. The victim had requested a ride through the inDrive app on 27 March, after a few minutes, the driver announced the robbery, threatened to kill her, and then sexually assaulted her in the back seat. She managed to escape by screaming. The suspect, identified through the vehicle’s license plate, denied the rape but admitted trying to steal her phone.
04/04/2025 – A video recorded on Friday (04/04) in the Cambuci neighborhood, East Zone, shows a military police officer pushing a woman against a wall and attempting to trip her during a street stop. The incident took place on Rua da Independência, in front of an occupied property. The 37-year-old woman was eventually handcuffed and taken to the 8th Police Precinct, where she was charged with contempt of authority for allegedly insulting the officers and throwing a beer can at one of them. The Public Security Department will investigate the case.
06/04/2025 – A man broke into the Bom Jesus das Oliveiras Parish, located in Jardim das Oliveiras, Itaim Paulista, East Zone, on Sunday morning (06/04) and destroyed two statues of saints during the Lenten season. Security cameras captured the moment he knocked down and smashed the images of the church’s patron. After the act of vandalism, he fled the scene. The Civil Police are investigating.
06/04/2025 – Two members of a phone theft gang were arrested on Sunday (06/04), in the Pinheiros district, West Zone. The suspects were part of a group that robbed pedestrians on foot and used a car or motorcycle for quick getaways. Surveillance footage helped identify them during one of the thefts. The gang communicated through group calls during the crimes. Three other members are still at large.
07/04/2025 – On Monday (07/04), Ubiratan Antônio da Cunha, former president of the bus company UPBus, was arrested again after turning himself in at the 50th Police Precinct (Itaim Paulista), East Zone. He is under investigation for involvement in a criminal organization and money laundering for the PCC. According to investigators, UPBus was used to conceal profits linked to the criminal faction. The company had already been placed under municipal intervention in December, and its contract was officially terminated in January 2025.
08/04/2025 – On Tuesday (08/04), the São Paulo Public Security Department confirmed that a message attributed to the state’s Military Police was false. The text circulated on WhatsApp and claimed that criminals were using children or elderly people to lure victims to kidnapping locations. It advised people not to accompany the person to the given address, warning it was a trap set by criminals. This fake warning, intended to spread panic, had already been debunked in 2022.
08/04/2025 – Four people were arrested after a robbery and police chase in rua Conselheiro João Alfredo, in the Mooca district, East Zone, on Tuesday (08/04). The suspects allegedly broke into a house, threatened the residents, and tried to flee in two cars. According to authorities, they rammed a police vehicle, prompting officers to fire. One man was shot and killed, while another was caught shortly after. A woman was wounded.
09/04/2025 – A fight between passengers aboard a CPTM Line 7-Ruby train ended with three people stabbed with a pocketknife near Vila Clarice Station, in Pirituba, North Zone, on Wednesday evening (09/04). One of the injured was the attacker’s partner. The motive remains unclear, and the police are investigating.
11/04/2025 – On Friday (11/04), at the locker room of the Pacaembu Complex pool, in Pacaembu, West Zone, lockers were broken into and personal belongings stolen, resulting in losses of over R$10,000. Two users, including a physiotherapist, lost clothes, shoes, and valuables.
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.
17/04/2025 – On Thursday (17), the body of Bruna Oliveira da Silva, a 28-year-old student, was found with signs of assault behind a parking lot on Avenida Miguel Ignácio Curi, in Vila Carmosina, East Zone. She had gone missing on Sunday (13) after leaving Corinthians-Itaquera station. The victim was last seen at 22:21 and was found partially clothed. Police have not yet identified suspects, and the case is under investigation by the homicide division (DHPP).
18/04/2025 – On Friday morning (18), four armed assailants robbed at least 15 people in the Mooca district, East Zone, within a single hour. The thieves stole 11 cellphones, gold rings, and chains, using violence and threatening victims with firearms. One man was arrested after police tracked a stolen phone to a nearby residence, where he confessed to the crime. He is believed to be part of a larger group responsible for the series of assaults.
19/04/2025 – During a live news segment on Saturday night (19), TV reporter Igor Calian was nearly robbed while working on Avenida Faria Lima, in Itaim Bibi, West Zone. A man on a bicycle attempted to steal the reporter’s cell phone just before he went on air. The suspect approached quickly, but Calian anticipated the move and managed to dodge the theft. The scene was captured by the cameraman and aired live during the Jornal da Band.
20/04/2025 – A gang of at least nine armed men invaded a Porsche dealership on Avenida dos Bandeirantes, in Vila Olímpia, South Zone, on Sunday (20), tying up the security guard for over four hours. The suspects stole high-value car parts — including headlights, taillights, wheels, and spare tires — from luxury vehicles, and destroyed the CCTV system before fleeing. No arrests have been made.
21/04/2025 – The home of city councilman Marcelo Messias was burglarized early Monday (21) in Interlagos, South Zone, while he was traveling with his family. The suspects broke into the residence on Rua Maestro Eduardo de Guarnieri and stole valuable items. Messias discovered the crime through his security system and notified police. The case was registered as burglary, and a forensic team was dispatched.
22/04/2025 – On Tuesday (22), five armed criminals invaded a businessman’s mansion in Morumbi, South Zone, and stole over R$1 million in luxury jewelry. The group, carrying pistols and a rifle, tied up the security guard, staff, and employees as they awaited access to a secure room. The robbers fled with 16 luxury watches — including 7 Rolexes — $5,000 in cash, and the guard’s weapon and gear. The heist was recorded by surveillance cameras. Police are investigating, but no suspects have been identified yet.
23/04/2025 – On Wednesday (23), São Paulo’s civil police launched Operation Floresta Devastada, targeting banker brothers and executives accused of diverting hundreds of millions of reais to an offshore company in Belize. Authorities ordered the seizure of assets worth up to R$469 million. The group allegedly transferred Brazilian clients’ funds without authorization and never returned them. Crimes under investigation include fraud, money laundering, and criminal organization. Two victims reported a combined loss of R$130 million.
23/04/2025 – The body of the suspect in the murder of student Bruna Oliveira da Silva was found on Wednesday (23) on Avenida Morumbi, in Morumbi, South Zone. The 43-year-old man was tied up, stabbed, and showed signs of torture, suggesting he may have been executed by a “tribunal do crime”, a form of vigilante punishment enforced by criminal factions such as the PCC. The Civil Police are investigating the possibility that the killing was ordered as retribution within the criminal underworld. Madureira had been identified as the man seen on surveillance footage pursuing and grabbing Bruna shortly before she was killed on April 13.
27/04/2025 – A 31-year-old nursing assistant was caught in the act and arrested for raping a 39-year-old patient in a coma at the ICU of Hospital das Clínicas, Cerqueira César, West Zone during the night of Sunday (27). He was caught by colleagues performing oral sex on the victim. Hospital security immediately alerted the police, who arrested him for the rape of a vulnerable person. The suspect was summarily dismissed for gross misconduct, and the case was recorded at the 14th Police District of Pinheiros.
27/04/2025 – In Rio Pequeno, West Zone, three criminals on two motorcycles robbed an app driver and two passengers on Sunday night (27). The robbery occurred on Rua Manuel Alvares da Costa and lasted only 40 seconds. One thief assaulted the driver while another tried to rob a pedestrian nearby. The stolen items included a wallet, phones, a laptop, and bank cards. The assailants fled the scene immediately after the attack, without injuring anyone.
27/04/2024 – In Vila Prudente, East Zone of São Paulo, several robberies occurred in recent days, captured by security cameras. On Sunday (27), armed thieves robbed a couple on Rua Gonçalo Marinho de Castro. Other incidents on Rua Mário Augusto do Carmo and Rua José Gonçalves Galeão showed similar attacks. Victims were forced to hand over valuables under threat, often with hands raised. The police reported intensified patrols, with 478 arrests made in the area earlier this year.
30/04/2025 – Two robbery suspects were killed by a man registered as a CAC, an acronym for hunter, sports shooter, and collector, on Wednesday night (30) in Brooklin, south of São Paulo. The CAC was traveling along Avenida Portugal when, at around 08:50, he was approached by two men on a motorcycle. The thieves reportedly announced the robbery and took his cell phones and those of his son, who was with him. According to the CAC’s report to the police, one of the thieves realized he was armed and fired. The shot grazed his shirt, which caused him to react and shoot at the criminals.
30/04/2025 – An elderly couple was reportedly evicted from their home in Morro do Banco, in Itanhangá, in the West Zone of Rio, by drug dealers who dominate the community. According to the report, in addition to the couple, a nephew with a disability also lived in the property. After the eviction — which was reportedly motivated by a complaint about a drug den being set up next to the residence — the criminals also allegedly took the furniture from the house.
30/04/2025 – After almost 3 hours, the hijacking of a bus in Itaquera, in the east zone of São Paulo, on Wednesday night (30) came to an end. A man held the driver hostage, threatening him with a knife of about 40 cm, but, after negotiation with an officer of the Gate (Special Tactical Actions Group), he surrendered at 8:08 pm. All passengers were released from the vehicle, which runs the 407L-10 line (Barro Branco – Guilhermina Esperança) and was stopped at the intersection of Radial Leste.
TRENDS & ADVICE
- Stay away from any protest most likely to occur in the city center, including Avenida Paulista, the MASP, Praça do Ciclista, Praça da Sé, Largo da Batata, and Praça da Republica. Monitor the local media to circumvent protest locations, including social media.
- If caught in a demonstration:
- remain still and take the time to see which way the crowd is going,
- attempt to leave the area by going against the movement of the crowd,
- avoid using your mobile phone, taking pictures, or filming the demonstration,
- Go to the nearest building as soon as possible and wait until the situation clears,
- try to avoid contact with security forces, if possible.
- Attention when walking downtown São Paulo, especially in Liberdade and Sé districts, and on Rua 25 de Março.
- At night, these regions are no-go zones.
- Considering the high crime rate of some locations in São Paulo, business travelers, and expatriates should comply with security rules to reduce the risks linked to violent crimes.
- In case of an assault, it is strictly recommended not to resist and avoid making any abrupt movement that may irritate criminals, who do not hesitate to open fire.
- Avoid, if possible, circulating through the neighborhoods in the East and North Zones, and peripheral neighborhoods in other zones due to the high rates of various crimes.
- Due to several police operations, drug users previously concentrated in a region called “Cracolândia” have spread across downtown, leading to an increase in petty crimes and violent aggressions. Hence, avoid walking around with your cell phone in your hand, in addition to wearing jewels and expensive watches.
- As sexual aggressions are on the rise, women should pay special attention to the environments where they go to, avoid empty and dark places.
- During a night out, never accept offers (food and beverage) from strangers, as they can put some drugs in. Men and women alike are targets of such crimes.
- Attention to the windows when inside a vehicle. Keep them closed, as criminals use heavy traffic to rob passengers with exposed valuables, like a cell phone.
- Attention to scams that may reach you through a WhatsApp message, e-mail, SMS, or a call.
- Be careful when trying to meet new people on the internet as criminals use dating apps and social networks to apply scams and assaults.
- The number of express kidnappings is still high.
- Criminals use violence to make their victims transfer all their money via PIX.
- Cooperate to mitigate the risk of violence.
- Keep in mind useful numbers: Emergency police number (190), and São Paulo tourist Police (+55 11 3120 4417).
