SÃO PAULO SECURITY INCIDENTS – JULY MONTHLY BULLETIN

The number of thefts surged in São Paulo’s “cracolândia” area and around Praça da Sé in May, coinciding with the dispersion of drug users from their main concentration point in Santa Ifigênia. Specifically, the 3rd DP (Campos Elíseos) saw a 15% increase in theft reports (681 cases), while the 1st DP (Sé) recorded a 41% jump (970 cases) compared to May last year. These thefts often involve the “gangue da bike,” who use bicycles to quickly snatch cell phones. The state’s Public Security Secretariat acknowledges the rise but highlights an overall 21.38% drop in robberies in the broader downtown area due to reinforced policing since 2023. The city emphasizes its ongoing efforts to empty the former cracolândia and conduct preventive GCM patrols.

Between 2011 and 2023, the São Paulo Public Prosecutor’s Office denounced only 9% of cases of deaths caused by the police (691 out of 7,641 investigations), compared to 3.7% in Rio (147 out of 4,014), according to a study by the Justiça Forum. The investigation highlights the persistent impunity of state agents involved in killings and denounces the exceptionally long average delays in judicial decisions. The report recommends the creation of specialized groups, support from the first hours after the fact, independent expert opinions, and more rigorous monitoring of police actions to guarantee the criminal responsibility of the perpetrators.

In 2024, São Paulo accounted for 18.5% of all cellphone thefts and robberies in Brazil—169,556 stolen devices, or 19 per hour—despite having only 5.6% of the national population. The data reveals a structured criminal chain: phones are quickly resold, unlocked, used for fraud, dismantled for parts, or exported to countries like Senegal, Nigeria, India, and China, where IMEI checks are weak or absent. Central São Paulo, especially Rua Guaianases, serves as a logistics hub. Victims are mostly Black men aged 20–39, targeted during weekday rush hours, while non-violent thefts more often involve women in commercial spaces on weekends.

In 2024, São Paulo recorded the highest rise in police killings in Brazil, with a 61% increase, reaching 813 deaths, while the national average declined by 3.1%, according to the 19th Brazilian Public Security Yearbook. This spike—returning to pre-bodycam levels—is largely attributed to PM operations in the Baixada Santista and cases like Paraisópolis, where suspects were executed despite surrendering. Critics link the rise to a lack of political accountability and weakened oversight. The surge contrasts with a national drop in violent deaths and comes amid controversy over the state’s shift from uninterrupted to trigger-activated police body cameras.

In the first half of 2025, São Paulo state recorded a rise in violent crimes against life, according to data released on 31 July by the Public Security Secretariat. Feminicides increased by 4% statewide (129 cases), and by 24% in the capital, with the number of women killed rising from 25 to 31. Rape cases also went up, with 7,254 victims in the state and a 3% increase in São Paulo city. Intentional homicides rose slightly by 0.8% across the state and by 12% in the capital. In contrast, property crimes declined: robberies dropped 15% statewide and 13% in the city, while robbery-homicides fell 22%.

03/07/2025 – On Wednesday (3), two criminals broke into a residential building in Itaim Bibi, a wealthy neighborhood in South São Paulo, by entering through the garage in a gray Honda HR-V. They stole jewelry and cash from a safe inside one of the apartments before fleeing. The residents arrived home during the robbery and called the police, but no arrests were made.

04/07/2025 – On Friday (04/07) evening, in São Paulo’s Parelheiros neighborhood, an off-duty military police officer fatally shot Guilherme Dias Santos Ferreira, 26, a carpenter. The officer reportedly mistook Ferreira for a mugger as the victim walked to a bus stop after work. According to the police report, the officer reacted after two individuals on another motorcycle attempted to rob him.

04/07/2025 – In São Paulo, plasterer Osmar Gonçalves, 42, had his car and tools stolen in the Freguesia do Ó neighborhood, North Zone, while working at a clothing factory. This crime resulted in a R$60,000 loss, leaving him unable to work.

04/07/2025 – On Friday (04/07) evening, a group of five teenagers (14-16) and an 18-year-old man were detained in São Paulo, suspected of stealing cell phones during a “arrastão” (mass robbery) on the Marginal Tietê, near Canindé. The perpetrators threw concrete blocks onto the road to force vehicles to slow down, then smashed windows to steal phones. They had targeted three women and two men, taking three phones. Military Police pursued the suspects to Avenida Engenheiro Caetano Álvares, recovering cell phones, a window-breaking tool, and a shirt. Two teens had hand injuries consistent with the crime. The incident was registered at the 13th Police Precinct (DP) as robbery, theft, attempted robbery, and corruption of minors, with the 18-year-old facing preventive detention.

05/07/2025 – On Saturday (05/07) evening, Sergeant André Paulo Marcone, 49, an off-duty military police officer, was fatally shot during a robbery in Cidade Tiradentes, East São Paulo. Approached by four men on Rua Santa Flávia Domitila, a struggle ensued, and Marcone was shot and later died at hospital. The criminals stole his weapon and cell phone, fleeing in a stolen car. Following an anonymous tip, Rota police arrested a suspect in the Castro Alves community who confessed to involvement. A woman was also arrested after her fingerprint was found in the getaway car.

09/07/2025 – On Wednesday (09/07) afternoon, Municipal Civil Guard (GCM) agents in São Paulo were caught on video dragging and assaulting a man with batons and a slap to the face. The incident occurred near Ponte das Bandeiras, North Zone, where four agents pulled the unresisting man to the sidewalk after striking him. The Municipal Urban Security Department, under Mayor Ricardo Nunes’s administration, stated it does not condone misconduct but did not disclose the reason for the approach.

10/07/2025 – On Thursday (10/07) morning, a man was arrested in Guaianases, East São Paulo, after throwing a rock at a bus, hitting a bar on the vehicle. Detained by the driver and passengers, he was charged with qualified damage and endangering transport safety. This incident contributes to 339 bus vandalism cases in São Paulo since June 12. Governor Tarcísio de Freitas reassured the public, mentioning an ongoing major operation to curb such attacks, despite police currently ruling out organized crime.

10/07/2025 – On Thursday (10/07) evening, in Paraisópolis, São Paulo, two military police officers were arrested for the fatal shooting of Igor Oliveira de Moraes Santos, 24, during an operation. Police communication chief Colonel Emerson Massera stated that body camera footage contradicted the officers’ report, showing Santos was already surrendered with hands on his head when shot. Massera deemed it an “illegal action,” despite evidence of drug trafficking.

10/07/2025 – The death of Igor Santos sparked protests and vandalism, leading to a second death, Bruno Leite, 29, in subsequent shootouts between police and armed individuals. The officers involved in Santos’s death face homicide charges, while other ongoing investigations include the second fatality and claims of a “drug den.”

10/07/2025 – On Thursday (10/07) morning, a 39-year-old woman, Angela de Jesus Bento, was fatally stabbed by her ex-husband in São Paulo’s Conjunto Habitacional Inácio Monteiro, East Zone. The victim, a mother of nine, had recently taken in her ex-partner, who was reportedly ill and homeless. During an argument around 04:00, he attacked her and also stabbed her 12-year-old daughter, who attempted to intervene. The daughter was hospitalized and is not in critical condition. The suspect, 49, fled the scene and remains at large.

11/07/2025 – On Friday (11/07), a Rota sergeant shot and critically injured a Civil Police investigator, Rafael Moura da Silva, 38, in the abdomen during an operation in the Fogaréu favela, Campo Limpo, South São Paulo. Civil Police from the 3rd Seccional were investigating drug trafficking when they encountered Rota officers, who had entered through a different access point, leading to an exchange of gunfire. The 37th Police Precinct (DP) is investigating the incident, with weapons seized, body camera footage analyzed, and forensic exams requested. Civil Police claim they identified themselves, while Rota members allege mistaken self-defense.

11/07/2025 – In central São Paulo, two brothers, owners of a clothing factory, were arrested after killing a thief during an attempted robbery. They claim self-defense, stating they ran over the criminal and then attacked him with a knife while protecting their property. Police are investigating the circumstances; if convicted, the brothers could face over 10 years in prison, though they are currently awaiting trial in freedom. The criminals had burglarized their factory once and were caught in the middle of a second attempt.

13/07/2025 – On Monday (14/07), in Santos, a bodybuilder named Pedro Camilo Garcia Castro, 24, was arrested for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend, a 27-year-old doctor, in São Paulo. The incident, reportedly motivated by jealousy, occurred in a rented apartment in Moema, where they were celebrating her birthday. Security cameras captured Castro entering the apartment after her and leaving agitated six minutes later with injured hands. A neighbor, hearing the aggression, called the police, who found the victim severely injured, mostly on her face. She was hospitalized at Hospital Campo Limpo. Castro was apprehended in Santos and confessed to the assault, stating he had found conversations between his girlfriend and another man.

15/07/2025 – On Tuesday (15/07), a bus was vandalized near Ibirapuera Park, São Paulo, as part of an escalating wave of depredation. This incident, reported to the 27th DP (Campo Belo), contributed to a total of 466 vehicles damaged in São Paulo since June 12. In other recent attacks, a child was injured by a marble in Morumbi, and two teenagers were stopped with a rock and bicycles in Itaim Bibi. Beyond the capital, the metropolitan region has seen 289 intermunicipal vehicles hit across 27 municipalities since June 1. Eight suspects have been arrested, though authorities haven’t specified a motive. Investigations continue, exploring theories like disputes over transport contracts, online challenges, and even potential PCC involvement, despite earlier dismissals of the latter.

16/07/2025 – In São Paulo, a 10-year-old boy nearly lost his sight after being hit by shrapnel during a bus attack when a criminal launched a marble at the vehicle. This incident is part of a escalating wave of violence, with over 50 bus attacks recorded in the last 24 hours. Despite reinforced policing, acts of vandalism against public transport are increasing, reaching a total of 769 buses destroyed in the capital and metropolitan area. Passengers and drivers alike report being terrified by the ongoing situation.

17/07/2025 – On Thursday (17/07), in São Paulo, security guards discovered two charred bodies at the Parque Natural Municipal Fazenda do Carmo, located in the East Zone. City surveillance agents were inspecting a smoky area near Avenida Jacu-Pêssego when they found the remains. The Municipal Civil Guard (GCM) secured the scene for the police. The case is being investigated as qualified homicide by the 53rd Police Precinct (Parque do Carmo) and the State Department of Homicides and Personal Protection (DHPP).

17/07/2025 – Criminals burglarized a car dealership in São Paulo city. The thieves stole three luxury cars from a dealership lot in the South Zone. Military Police swiftly intercepted the vehicles, which were en route to a chop shop in the East Zone. The suspects abandoned the cars and fled on foot; however, one individual was arrested, while the others managed to escape.

21/07/2025 – On Monday (21/07), a 51-year-old woman named Maria Gerlene Barbosa de França was fatally stabbed by her ex-husband during a party in São Mateus, East Zone. Surveillance footage captured the moment she was attacked in a crowded bar after refusing to leave with him. The suspect fled the scene and was later found by military police. He had a prior conviction for attempted homicide, and the case is being investigated as femicide.

21/07/2025 – On Monday (21/07), three buses were vandalized in São Paulo, one in Brasilândia (North Zone), another in Vila Mariana (South Zone), and a third at an undisclosed location. In one incident, a driver was assaulted and an elderly passenger injured when a man threw objects at a bus; he was arrested and claimed to be drunk. Another suspect was caught after shattering a bus window with a rock. Since 1 June, the Greater São Paulo area has recorded 813 such attacks, with 12 arrests. Investigators suspect a power struggle within the urban transport workers’ union may be behind the coordinated acts of sabotage.

22/07/2025 – On Tuesday (22/07), São Paulo’s Military Police Internal Affairs arrested two Tactical Force officers in connection with the fatal shooting of 23-year-old Jeferson de Souza, a homeless man killed on 13 June near the Viaduto 25 de Março. The officers claimed Jeferson, wanted for rape and assault, attempted to seize a weapon during an ID check, prompting them to fire multiple rifle shots. However, forensic analysis revealed eight gunshot wounds, including two to the head. The incident, partially recorded on body cameras, is under judicial secrecy. The officers were transferred to Romão Gomes prison.

23/07/2025 – On Wednesday (23/07), around 300 members of the Landless Workers’ Movement (MST) occupied the National Institute for Colonization and Agrarian Reform (Incra) headquarters in downtown São Paulo. The protest, part of the Peasant Week, criticizes President Lula’s slow progress on agrarian reform. The MST demands include food production credit, permanent technical support, dignified rural housing, and integration into the PAC. In response, the federal government stated that 13,944 settlement lots were secured in 2025, with a goal of 30,000 by year-end and 60,000 by the end of 2026.

23/07/2025 – On Wednesday (23/07), a 34-year-old woman was arrested after police found an AK-47 rifle, a pistol, and ammunition in her luggage during a bus inspection in the Cambuci neighborhood. The bus had departed from Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, carrying street vendors headed to shop in the Brás district. None of the passengers initially claimed the suspicious bag, but boarding footage helped identify the suspect. The woman was taken to the Brás police station.

23/07/2025 – On Wednesday (23/07), São Paulo’s mayor, Ricardo Nunes, announced that military police officers will ride city buses to prevent further vandalism. Over 800 attacks have occurred since June in the capital and metro area, including 545 damaged buses in São Paulo city. Seventeen people have been arrested, including a longtime civil servant accused of 17 attacks and using an official vehicle. Authorities suspect internal disputes within the drivers’ union as a possible motive. The Municipal Guard has also deployed 50 patrol cars to reinforce security in affected areas.

24/07/2025 – On Thursday (24/07), a man threw a concrete block at the windshield of a bus stopped on Avenida Cupecê, in the Jabaquara district, South Zone, completely shattering the glass. Identified through surveillance footage, he was arrested the following day by the Deic (State Department of Criminal Investigations). The attack is part of a wave of vandalism targeting public transport: over 800 incidents have been recorded since June, including 549 in the capital. Eighteen suspects have been arrested so far.

25/07/2025 – On Friday night (25/07) in Interlagos, South Zone, an off-duty military police officer shot and killed a 21-year-old man who attempted to rob her while disguised as a food delivery rider. According to the São Paulo Public Security Secretariat (SSP), the officer was at a bus stop when the suspect stole her cellphone and returned moments later to demand the password. She then drew her weapon and fired multiple shots. The suspect, who was carrying a replica firearm, died at the scene.

26/07/2025 – On Saturday morning (26/07), in the Taipas neighborhood, North Zone, an off-duty military police officer fatally shot one man and injured another during a robbery attempt. The two assailants, riding a motorcycle, pointed a gun at the officer on Rua Domenico Montella around 06:00. Surveillance footage captured the officer firing multiple shots. One suspect died at the local emergency care unit, and the other remains hospitalized.

26/07/2025 – In just 30 seconds, three armed men assaulted a rideshare driver and two passengers on Saturday (26/07) in the Campo Grande neighborhood, South Zone. The suspects forced the victims out of the vehicle, stole their bags, and fled with the car. Surveillance footage shows one assailant pointing a gun while two others approached casually before taking control of the situation. According to São Paulo’s Public Security Secretariat, police later recovered the driver’s phone, the car keys, and a fake weapon, but the suspects escaped.

26/07/2025 – A 39-year-old businessman was arrested in Vila Leopoldina, West Zone, on Saturday night (26/07) for drunk driving and assaulting municipal guards. He was driving at high speed on Rua Guaipá and nearly crashed into a GCM patrol vehicle. When he stopped in his building’s garage, he attacked one of the agents and was subdued. Once detained, he remained aggressive and kicked the patrol car’s rear window until it shattered.

30/07/2025 – On Wednesday (30/07), gospel singer João Igor was shot in the leg and arm during an altercation with a military police officer inside a bus at Terminal Barra Funda, West Zone. According to witnesses, the officer approached João and his brother, suspecting drug use, which escalated into a physical struggle and two gunshots—one of which injured the singer. Conflicting accounts describe either a confrontation over noise during a video call or an attempt to disarm the officer. The case is under investigation.

30/07/2025 – A woman was found dead with burns on the stairwell of a residential building in Jardim São Luiz, South Zone, around 05:00 on Wednesday (30/07). The victim, described as a young Asian woman in her late 20s to early 30s, was not a resident but had arrived the previous afternoon to visit someone on the eighth floor. Residents reported a strong smell of smoke and evacuated the building, prompting an initial response for a suspected fire. The case is being investigated as a homicide. Later that same day, the suspect was located at his father’s home and arrested by the Military Police.

30/07/2025 – Residents of a community in Guaianases, East Zone, staged a protest on Wednesday (30/07), against a municipal “irregular lot clearing” operation, which they perceived as an attempted eviction. According to the Military Police, residents set up a burning barricade on Luís Mateus Street. Aerial footage shows at least ten armed officers entering the community, prompting several residents to flee. City officials said only uninhabited structures were targeted, in line with Decree 57,443, which authorizes the preventive demolition of illegal constructions on irregularly occupied land.

30/07/2025 – A military police officer shot a robbery suspect on Wednesday evening (30/07), after being ambushed while riding home from work on his motorcycle along Avenida das Nações Unidas, near the João Dias Bridge in São Paulo’s South Zone. The officer initially mistook a slap on his helmet for a greeting before realizing it was an attempted robbery. He exchanged gunfire with the two assailants, injuring one, who was later apprehended while fleeing. The second suspect escaped. The stolen motorcycle used in the crime had a tampered license plate. The case is under investigation by the 11th Police District of Santo Amaro.

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